Bluff immediately bailed out the little dinghy, and set himself to the task of hunting along the shore for oysters.  They saw him dipping his arm down again and again, which would indicate that his quest was proving successful.  Even Jerry declared that he was now becoming fairly ravenous, and could enjoy a solid meal.

“It’s going to be a gloomy old night, fellows.  Clouds gathering there in the southwest.  From what I’ve read about the signs, we may have one of those northers boom down on us before morning,” remarked Frank.

They were sitting around, enjoying the supper, as he made this remark.  Evening was close at hand.  The sun had set in what seemed to be an angry glow, with yellow predominating.

“Are we safe right here, if the wind chops around, and comes out of the north?” asked cautious Will.

“Yes, for that arm of the land will shield us all right,” declared Jerry.

So the night set in.  Darkness gathered unusually early, it seemed to the chums.  They had made all arrangements looking to the raising of the complete automobile cover of the boat in case of a downpour.

“I guess there’s nothing to fear from the elements,” remarked Frank finally.

“Can there be from any other source?” demanded Will, quick to take the alarm from the tone of Frank’s voice.

“I bet Frank’s thinking of those three blooming pirates who wanted to smash us out on the big water,” declared Bluff quickly.

“I confess they were in my mind; but, so far, they’ve paid no attention to us, and we’re a quarter of a mile away from that sharpie.  Don’t bother your head about them, Will.  Of course, we’ll keep a watch, as usual, though.”

“You just make up your mind we will, now.  I didn’t like the looks of the crowd a little bit.  Some of these wild waterdogs along the gulf coast, they told me, wouldn’t object to a little piratical business on the sly when—­”

Jerry stopped short.  Over the water, from the direction of the mysterious anchored sharpie, had come a strange cry, that seemed to be in the voice of either a woman or a child.  The four chums sat there and stared at each other in consternation, for it seemed as though that pitiful cry was for help!

CHAPTER XV

A VISIT TO THE MYSTERIOUS SHARPIE

Jerry made a reach for his gun, that happened to be hanging from a couple of hooks close by his hand.

“Oh!  What was that?” asked Will in a trembling voice.

“Sounded to me like a child.  I reckon they’ve got a boy along with ’em, and the brutes are whaling him!” growled Bluff.

“It’s a shame, then, that’s what!” declared Will, showing unwonted anger, for, as a usual thing, he seldom gave way to his emotions in this line.

They listened for a time in silence.  Jerry declared that he felt sure he heard a sound not unlike a child crying, but the heavy voices of the men drowned this.