"So you'd like to, eh?" said Anderson, chuckling grimly. "Well, I'll remember you said so. You may have a chance one of these days,--if there's not too much danger. Anyway, since you know all about signaling, you might be able to work the flags and communicate with a vessel in distress. Here's a chart showing the complete flag signal code. Just run your eye over that."
They did so, and their interest in his explanations made them indifferent to the passing of time. All the while the tide was rising steadily and, before they realized it, they found themselves cut off from the mainland by several feet of rough water which covered the connecting sandbar.
"Here's a nice fix we're in!" exclaimed Alec. "What can we do now? Swim ashore?"
"It's not much of a distance," observed Chester, measuring it with level gaze. "But the water's pretty rough, and there's a strong set toward the ocean. Better not risk it, I say."
It was quite unusual for Chester to be so cautious. His companions looked at him in surprise.
"I second Chester's motion," remarked Billy, who had had quite enough strenuous swimming for the present.
"You certainly are not going to try any fool stunt like that, boys!" declared Anderson. "I know what a current there is through that inlet, and you couldn't hire me to let you try to swim it! Why, out there,"--he pointed to the nearest extremity of the island,--"is what is called a sea puss, a place where cross currents meet and form a whirlpool at mid-tide. It would swallow you up before you could guess what had happened to you! No, sirree! Here you'll stay until low tide again. Do your folks know you came over here to-day?"
"All right, then; they won't be worried. If you hadn't told them, I'd get out a boat and take you over, but----"
"We'd hate to give you that trouble," said Hugh. "Besides, we're not a bit sorry to stay here in this interesting place; that is, if you don't mind. We're not in the way?"
"Not a bit of it! The boys'll be glad of your company. Sorry that Mark and Ruth are away, though. You'll be marooned here twelve hours. That means all night, as it's four o'clock now. Well, never mind. I guess we can put you up for the night, if you're not too particular, and the missus can rustle enough grub for us all."