Wyckoff’s appeals for mercy were piteous.  All the way to the campfire he begged that the boys would show him mercy, but no response was made.  Rowdy trotted along beside the outlaw with a satisfied air.  Now and again he would look up at Wyckoff’s face and then make as if to take a bite of the man’s leg.  At such times Wyckoff would involuntarily quicken his gait until cautioned by Jack to go more steadily.  This was very hard for him to do, for he was frightened.

“Frank,” Tom asked when the little party arrived at the fire, “did you see anything of a boat on shore here during your visit?”

“Come to think of it, I certainly did,” replied Frank.  “It is a dandy, too.  I had made up my mind to try to drag it to the water and row to the mainland if no one came soon, but your arrival drove all thoughts of it from me.  It is back here just a short distance.”

“Wyckoff was telling me that boats were sometimes washed ashore on these islands.  That reminded me of it.  I wonder if it wouldn’t be a good idea to ask Mr. Wyckoff to drag the boat to the water for us.  He’s been very obliging and I don’t want to overwork him without paying him for his trouble,” Tom added sarcastically.

“Hurray!” shouted Jack.  “The very thing!  And that may replace the one we brought from Mobile and gave to that other fellow,—­what was his name?  I never was much of a hand to remember names.”

“I know—­Carlos de Sneakodorus Madero!” announced Harry.

“Well, he got a boat from us, and it’s only right we get one from his boss,” asserted Tom.  “Did you know your hired man stole our boat?” he inquired, turning to Wyckoff, who looked very humble.

“No, sir,” replied that worthy.  “I know the young fellow, but he is not hired by me.  I don’t know what you mean about his stealing your boat.  I never told him to do such a thing!”

“All right; you’ve got a story coming, then.  You just ask him when you see him again.  He’ll tell you,” was Tom’s information.

“Lead us to the boat, Frank,” requested Jack.  “Mr. Wyckoff seems to be just crazy to help us launch the rowboat.”

Frank led the way to where a pile of great timbers and plank had been cast up by the angry waters during a recent storm.  There, resting on top of the heap of lumber and timbers, was a fine skiff apparently sound and whole.  By some curious freak of the storm it had been gently deposited there and left to rest while great ships had been sorely wrenched and even wrecked.  The boys lost no time in removing the skiff with Wyckoff’s help.  To drag it along the yielding sand was a harder task.  All were thoroughly winded when at last the skiff floated in the waters of the bight where lay the yacht.

“Whew!” panted Frank.  “That’s a big job for five.  I’m glad I didn’t tackle it alone.  I certainly would have been tired.”

“Let’s leave Rowdy to guard Wyckoff while we get things in good shape on board and then we’ll leave Wyckoff here!” suggested Tom in an aside to Jack.  “I think we’d better leave him some grub, too.  It wouldn’t be right to just turn him adrift here alone.”