ain't so very swift near shore but what it'd hold when we chose to
drop her over. If we stay here one of us has to be on guard all
night, and even then I believe those black jailbirds would be ugly
enough to try and burn us up or something like that--steal our
pumpkin-seed boat perhaps. Yes, I'm in favor of cutting loose,"
declared Thad, eagerly.

"All right; consider it settled. We'll just wait until we think
they're busy with the fish and then one of us must go ashore while
the other covers him with the gun, and undo the line from those
rocks. After that it will be easy."

Half an hour passed away.

Then, as the sounds had died out above, they fancied the trio of
unwelcome neighbors must be busily employed in eating, so Thad
volunteered to drop ashore and get the rope loose from its
anchorage.

Maurice was a little skeptical about the apparent freedom from
surveillance, and stood on deck with the shotgun in his hands
ready to spring to the assistance of his pard at the slightest
sign of trouble.

But Thad met with no opposition when he climbed to where the loop
of the rope was secured over the pinnacle of rock, and in a minute
he had freed the line, tossing it down on the beach where it could
be pulled aboard.

When his comrade was again alongside, Maurice breathed easier;