"That settles it!" said Diamond, bitterly. "Frank is done for this time!
They have finished him--the devils!"
"Well, they"ll never drive me away from this island till I have found out how they did it and who they are!" vowed Hodge. "Right here I swear I will spend the rest of my life in avenging Merry, if it is necessary."
"I am with you!"
"And I!"
"Yaw! Me, too!"
They shook hands on it, with bared heads. Never were four lads in more deadly earnest.
The sun was low in the western sky, tinting the rippling waters with golden light. The scene was a peaceful one, and it did not seem possible that an awesome and appalling tragedy had taken place on that quiet little island that day.
Despite their determination, the boys were stunned and at a loss to know what was to be done. They entered the boat and rowed off to the yacht.
It was plain no one had visited the _White Wings_ while they were away, for nothing on board was molested.
Hans was hungry, but he was the only one of them all who seemed to have any appet.i.te. They did not talk much, but all were thinking, and the Dutch boy cried softly over the food he ate.
Little had they dreamed when they started out on the cruise that anything so terrible could happen and that they would be so completely dazed and bewildered. Their hearts were full of sorrow, but on their faces were looks of resolution that told they did not mean to be driven away till they had fulfilled their oath.
The sun went down redly in the west and tinted twilight crept over the water. In the woods on sh.o.r.e darkness gathered swiftly. They stared away toward those woods, as if watching for the appearance of their missing friend.
All at once Jack caught hold of Hodge, hissing:
"Look there!"
"Where?"
"Down toward the point. See--back in the shadows beyond the two pines!
Can you see them there?"
"I see something."
"Two figures?"
"Yes."
"I saw them move--saw them come out of the woods. They are men, and they are watching us!"
"That"s right."
"And one of them is that snake, the little man in gray!"
"I believe it!"
"I know it! Get a rifle, Hodge!"
"What would you do?"
"Shoot him!" panted the hot-blooded Virginian. "Get a rifle! I will put a bullet through the villain!"
Although hot-blooded and reckless himself Bart realized that Diamond must not do anything of the kind. But he did not find it necessary to reason with Jack, for the two men turned and disappeared into the woods.
"They"re gone!" exclaimed the Virginian, regretfully.
"But they may come back again. We must keep a close watch to-night.
There is no telling what desperate deed they may attempt."
So the night was divided into watches, and each lad took his turn on deck.
The sky became overcast, so there was little light. The black shadow of the sh.o.r.e seemed potent with dangers.
Bart had his second watch on deck, and it was not far from midnight when he was startled to hear a voice hailing from the sh.o.r.e:
"Ahoy, the yacht!"
"What do you want?" asked Bart, gripping a revolver and staring toward the point from which the voice had seemed to come. "Who are you?"
"Caleb Cooler, at your service," came back the answer. "I thought I"d tell you something that may relieve your minds somewhat. Frank Merriwell is alive and unharmed."
Bart gasped.
"Why do you come to tell us that?" he asked.
"Because I know you are worrying about him. Don"t worry. He will be with you to-morrow."
This angered Bart so that he lifted his revolver, being tempted to send a random shot toward the point from which the voice seemed to come, but he changed his mind and lowered the weapon.
"So long," called the voice of the queer old man. "Turn in and sleep.
You won"t be troubled."
"That is what they want us to do," thought Bart. "It is a trick. But they can"t fool us that way."
No further sound was heard from the sh.o.r.e. Cooler did not answer, although Bart called to him several times.
Jack had heard Hodge speaking, and he came on deck. When Bart told Diamond what had happened, the latter was furious.
"If I had been here, I would have fired six shots in his direction," he declared.
Diamond took his turn on deck, and it was about two o"clock when he fancied he heard the sound of oars. The sound came nearer and nearer, till at last it seemed that the boat reached the island, and then the sound was heard no more.
Morning dawned, and Browning arose in a strangely agitated state of mind. Never had his companions seen him in such a condition. When asked about it, he said:
"Boys, I had a queer dream. I"m going to tell you what it was. I dreamed that Frank Merriwell is buried in the grave on the island. I thought him buried alive. We dug him out and restored him to life."
"It can"t be that Merry is buried there, for the mound has not been disturbed lately," said Diamond.