"Do you suppose the Baxters and the others have gone ashore?" asked Dick.
"No telling yet, lad. Let us watch out for a while."
They sat down and watched until the darkness of night began to hide the Peacock from view.
At last they saw Arnold Baxter come on deck, followed by Dan.
The two entered a rowboat and a sailor took them ashore. They had scarcely landed when Captain Langless appeared, coming along a pathway but a few yards from where Dick and the lumberman were in hiding.
At once a wordy war ensued between the Baxters and the owner of the schooner. What it was about Dick and Peterson could not make out, although they realized that it concerned Tom and Sam.
"Your men are a set of doughheads," cried Arnold Baxter. "They are to be trusted with nothing."
"Never mind, we'll come out ahead anyway," retorted Captain Langless. "I reckon you've been tripped up yourself before this."
"I warned you to be careful."
"It wasn't my fault."
"What's to do now?" put in Dan Baxter.
"Shall we stay on the island, dad?"
