"Perhaps you are the ones who are caught," said Arnold Baxter, with a sickly smile.
"Hardly," and Dick showed his pistol. "We are well armed, Arnold Baxter, and will stand no fooling."
"We are armed, too—" began Dan, but his parent stopped him.
"Of course you came to this island on a boat of some sort," went on the elder Baxter.
"How else could we come? The mainland is miles away."
"Where is your boat?"
"Not far off, and well manned, too," added Dick. "We came not alone to capture you, but also the Peacock and all on board."
At this announcement the faces of the Baxters fell, and Dan actually trembled.
"Where is your boat?" repeated Arnold Baxter.
"As I just told you, not far off. The question is, will you submit quietly, or must I summon help?"
"Submit to what?"
"Submit to being taken to our boat."
"You have no right to make me go to your boat."
"I'll be hanged if I'll go," growled Dan.
"And you may be shot if you don't go," an-
