“A mere reference to the boy being asleep will be enough,” said Jack.  “The look of the thing is enough to carry out the idea, and they will accept it without question.”

“To be sure, and in the meantime the plucky young fellow is hustling to get back to the vessel and bring us help.”

Having settled all this the boys sat down and waited, now and then conversing, and occasionally listening for any sound that would denote the return of the so-called Rollins and the men with him.

It was getting on toward sunset when Jack heard Rollins and another man talking outside, although he could not see them when he went to the little window and looked out.

“You say there is a vessel in the bay?”

“Yes, inside the reefs.”

“Government vessel?”

“No, private yacht, the one these boys belong on.  It’s a school on a vacation or tour or something.”

“Do they know the way through the reefs!”

“I guess not.  They were washed in the other night when there was a cyclone or tidal wave.”

“They did not come here after us?”

“No, they didn’t know anything about us.  They have been here for some time, a week I guess, and can’t get out.”

“H’m! let them stay here then!” growled the man with the white mustache.  “They can’t bother us any.  If they don’t know the way out, which very few do, they’ll have to stay here for all I can see.”

“But suppose we want to get in on that side ourselves?”

“They could not make us any trouble.  We don’t want to get in there at this time, although it is a better hiding place than this.”

“Then you’re going to let them stay there?”

“Certainly.  They can’t do us any harm.  After we get away with our cargo we don’t care what happens to them.”

The men went away or stopped talking, at any rate, and Jack did not hear any further conversation between them.

“They will probably let us out as soon as they are ready to go,” he said to Percival, “but we don’t want to stay here till they get ready to let us out, and then there is just a chance that they may forget us altogether.  It was just as well that we sent Jesse W. off on his errand.”

“I think so myself, and I don’t doubt that he will carry it out.”

“If Rollins knows the way out through the reefs,” said Jack presently, “we might either force or persuade him to pilot us out.  If we should capture him we might force him to do it.  Otherwise, I might persuade him to do it on consideration of allowing him to escape after we were perfectly safe outside.  Very few know of the way out, and it is not likely that the vessel which they are sending to our relief will have any good pilot for these waters on board.”

“You don’t know positively that this man knows the passage!”

“No, I do not, but he does know some one who does, to judge by his talk, and if he cannot be bargained with perhaps the other man can.  I am averse to having anything to do with the man, as you can readily understand, but I do not want to see the whole Hilltop Academy kept prisoners here for an indefinite time.”