Page:Barbour--Joan of the ilsand.djvu/262

250 got him. I happened to run up against Peter Pan and he told me that you had been carried off. I sent him to find out what had happened to Chester and help him if he could in any way, and then I came here in the whale-boat. It was half afloat, otherwise I'm afraid I should never have been able to get the heavy thing off."

"Hadn't we better wait here for Moniz's men to come back to the schooner?"

"Why?" Keith asked in astonishment.

"Moniz said he took them on to the island to help us," the girl replied. "If that is so—"

"I'd like to wager my chance of ever seeing the portals of heaven that the whole thing would never have happened if Moniz had been where he is now," Keith said. "No, his niggers will be out of hand now, and I don't like the idea of your being here when they return. We could get across to the ketch in the whale-boat, and if necessary slip the anchor; but I'm not going to do that until I know definitely what has happened to Chester. It will begin to get light very soon now, so we must make for the shore before they can spot us. After that we shall have to take things as we find 'em, I'm afraid. I'll put you on the Kestrel if you like, but honestly I don't recommend it."

"Let us go ashore," the girl agreed quietly.

Keith found the cumbrous boat all he could manage, for an unusually heavy tide was now running