“I was thinking we’d better stand watch,” remarked Jerry.
“To tell you the truth I don’t like the idea of those colored men being in this neighborhood. Where there are three I think there are sure to be more. Of course they may be harmless enough, but I have an idea they are desperate men, and our camp and boat offers quite a temptation to them.”
“Oh, I don’t believe they’ll bother us,” said Bob. “Let’s get what sleep we can. Leave a lantern where we can light it in a hurry if we hear any suspicious noises.”
Ned sided with Bob, and Jerry, somewhat against his will, gave in to them. However, he determined to stay awake as long as he could. He also arranged some fishing lines about the camp so that if any intruders came in they would trip on them and bring down a collection of pots and pans which he arranged to fall at the slightest disturbance.
“That will do for a burglar alarm,” he said.
Jerry’s intention of remaining awake was well meant, but nature asserted herself and he was soon slumbering as soundly as his chums.
It was well that Jerry had set his burglar alarm, or, otherwise the sleep-locked eyes of the boys never would have detected the stealthy approach of several dark figures that stole around the camp about midnight. They were figures that crept closer and closer with silent footsteps, figures that whispered now and then among themselves, and, had any one been listening, they would have easily recognized the whispers as those of negro voices.
But the fish lines did not sleep. They did their duty and, when one of the men caught his foot in a cord, and brought down, with a resounding clatter and crash, a pile of tins, the three boys awoke with a start.
He struck a match and lighted a lantern which was ready at hand, no lights having been left burning because they attracted mosquitoes and other insects.
Bob and Ned grabbed their rifles. An instant later the gleam of a lantern shone out, and disclosed several negroes about the _Dartaway_. Some were in the craft and others appeared to be shoving her off the bank on which her keel rested.
An instant later he fired, purposely aiming over the heads of the intruders. Ned followed his example. There was a yell of terror from the black men and, with one accord they seemed to disappear from sight. Jerry ran out with the lantern.