The Boy Scouts on Picket Duty

occupied with the distressing problem of Hugh's disappearance had her crew been,--for not one of the party could believe him drowned,--and so busy in tryin

ng. Strange to say, he was the only one who guessed that Hugh had fallen into the hands of "coast-prowlers" as he called them,--with adjectives too lurid to mention!--and was, bei

and soon he brought the Arrow within hailing distance. He communicated the news to the officers on board, an

scarcely deserved the name, being in reality only a temporary camp located on the site of an old fortification which had been a military headquarters during the Seminole wars

at the fort and he could be counted

en the information formation was brought to him by Vinton and the others. "Those scoundrels must hav

y. "But we've got to get busy right away, Li

s very hour and invade the haunts of gang. They're not many miles from here, I'm to

pitch camp for a night or two, while we're hunting them, w

ty?" echoe

the line of march. I presume

hed at their lack of military formality, the speakers saluted i

d at the fort--sallied forth against "Bego's gang." It was decided not to go on board the Petrel for the few miles' trip

as we suspect, they have a rendezvous there," said Lieutenant Driscoll. "But we'll cam

e dayl

d-heavy. I count on their trying to ship a car

rton. "Will you permit

ant Dri

, my dear sir

well if you sent some of us,--say these scouts and myself, for instance,--over to

pose to communicate with us, in case t

on the shore, or by wi

ay that!" exclaimed th

't approve of that

t Driscol

that I was pleased to discover a civili

his good-natured way, though he would fain have answered more sharply. A

hat Boy Scouts are expected to be pret

ly responded

n't know woul

while, with Vinton at the helm, and the men of Driscoll's company crowded on the deck of the sloop talking with the other scouts, the trim little Arrow was making

he's doing no

y's rueful rejoinder. "I've heard all sorts of stories about what rough

elieve they'

y that. But

ec, "we don't even know that he's al

that, Alec! I c

said ju

what I said or

y, old scout! Yo

t be, I'd li

mpathy. "We all are, you know; but we've got

u're rig

rail watching the low-lying shore slip past them as the Arrow

out of danger," he said quietly, "so

feel! Why, it helps a lot not to lose hope at the start

just then, tugging at his cap

land,--and doing something! This cruising-around-while-you-wait gets my nerve! I've had about eno

greed, but at present most of them were of Dave's opinion of the cruise--"Heap much trouble, not much fun." However, the pr

Durgan's cove, and the boat made two trips ashore with Norton and the boys. Dave went with them, of course, for he was thoroughly familiar with that section of the coast. Each was armed wit

tation points to observe the movements of "the enemy." The ground in that locality was somewhat higher than the surrounding expanses, and

ot linger here

this little point of la

He pointed to the dry grass blades on which were no tra

ere can yo

h was even then a prisoner. Had Dave or Billy known this, they would not have hesitated to swim to the place, if need be to say

bad reputation. He added that to his certain knowledge the revenue men had intended for some time past

rth, accompanied by Hugh's chum. The others, separating, took up their positions where they were concealed b

now picket