Realizing that he could make no further progress with the prisoner at present, and fearing that it might not be wise to disclose what more he had learned by listening to the wireless messages the hazer had just sent, Hal returned to the deck and recounted his experience in the cabin to his companions.  All were assembled at the pilot house when he gave his recital.

“This is important,” said Mr. Buckley when the account was finished.  “I’m glad you didn’t disclose to him the fact that you suspect anything is going on of interest to the Canadian government.  He won’t be on his guard so much perhaps as he would be if you had put all your cards on the table.  By the way, everything seems to be happening in our favor right now.  There’s a Canadian revenue boat over there.  Let’s run over that way and hail it.”

The boat in question was somewhat larger than the Catwhisker and looked as if it might give the yacht a merry race if the two were matched for a test of speed.  She was 300 yards distant and in a few minutes the evicted Friday Islanders had run up within short hailing distance of her.  Then Buckley gave a signal, which was recognized, and the two boats were brought close together.  A short conversation between Buckley and the commander of the revenue boat was sufficient to acquaint the latter with the situation, and he promised to remain in the vicinity in order that he might come speedily to the aid of the Catwhisker when needed.

Then began the work of careful examination of the Friday Island group with binoculars.  The yacht was only a few hundred yards from these islands when the Canadian revenue cutter was sighted.  After arrangements for co-operation had been made with the commander of this boat, the Catwhisker began to move slowly around the group, while Mr. Perry and Mr. Buckley examined every detail of their littoral features with strong glasses.  Cub was at the wheel, and Mr. Baker, Bud, Hal and Max stood near the two men with the glasses, eagerly waiting for significant results.

“I wonder if this is to be the finishing stroke,” said Bud, addressing the two boys near him.

Mr. Perry overheard the “wonder” and replied: 

“I am confident that we will solve the whole problem very shortly.”

“With mathematics?” asked Hal.

“You see we are moving in a geometric circle, do you not?” Mr. Perry returned with a smile.

“Oh, look there!” suddenly exclaimed Max.  “A motor boat.”

But there was no need of calling attention to so conspicuous an appearance.  All saw it at the same time.  It darted out from a narrow passage between two of the smaller islands surrounding the one that Alvin Baker had denominated “Friday.”  It was a small cabin runabout, very neatly designed and constructed; and apparently with a draft measured only by inches.  She made directly for the yacht.

“Catwhisker, ahoy!” called out a youthful voice, and a wide-awake red-haired boy put his head out of one of the port windows of the cabin.  “I want to come aboard with important information.”