The Boy Scouts on Picket Duty

he gang around here, w

along the edge of a watercourse, in the direction of the cabins. Bending forward, sometimes c

near here?" he asked, and D

answer. "Boat come ba

What

eran

y'll try to leave this

. We see, we

f horror as a large moccasin snake darted across his path; but seeing the loathsome creature glide away to a safe distance, he went on, following the guide. Nevertheless, a

ralline limestone and wading knee-deep along the watercourse, they emerged upon the left bank of the cove. The two smaller cabins were not mo

ed in the high grass. Plainly to their

, which, being uttered in his native dialect,

that the dog's appearance on the scene

looking about him to see if the bar

the cur?"

until his head was above the top of the grass. "A-ah!"

s. The two spies then beheld the figure of a man seated in the stern of a dug-o

s us---" b

rupted warningly. "W

at us or at him? Wha

Man come, let dog loose,--

ly. "Dog or no dog, I

where they've

ad only been able to communicate with his friends on picket duty! How much tr

ndent on a boat from the Esperanza to take them and their goods away. This would enable the crew of the Petrel to intercept the

*

he others who remain

e landing place, suddenly caught sight of two men walking along the shore. They were carrying the same battered tin box which he and

s named after that animal, he knew that Chester, also of the Otter patrol,

of palmettos, Chet responded with the

sed, startled, suspicious. To Alec's dismay, they dropped the box, stood still, and stared all around them. Alec lay flat on the ground, trusting that hi

on, picked up the box and came on again. Every step brought them nearer Alec, who o

he men, listening. "T

declared the other. "

know he

ho was none other than the swarthy ruffian, Harry Mole. "Somethin's going on over t

f relief. He wished the two men were not going in the same direction Dave and Billy had taken; b

ak around, ahead of those two rascals, and warn Dave and Billy to lie low? Or

with a little thrill of apprehension whether they would run across any of

ss, and the two smugglers finally disappear

he stillness. An hour passed,--another hour,--the sun began its slow descent into the broad bosom of the ocean. Long before this, the Arrow had slipped aw

and nearer, but after a minute or two i

Dave and Billy?"

on and Mark Anderson, in their respective station-poi

ft their posts and assembled at the place chosen for their landing. After hours of more-or-less solita

ith two figures in it was seen approaching them, gliding almost noiselessly along one of the waterways. The occupants of the boat

ou get it?" asked

a little trestle over there at the deserted settlement, and when we saw Durgan and two other men go into one o

ee you, or hea

nswered

range! Are

in the cabin, that we

y got inside, they m

ld when they find thei

ped its moorings and dr

hat's what

"Anyhow, they look f

doin' tonig

tanding erect, his face

g at?" queried chest

Sands, pointing southwest. "Migh

isn't. I

xclaimed Bil

it is

a quee

ain Vinton said that there is on

ng star at which they were gazing was unlike any of those celestial lights. It steadily grew larger, ye

asked Norton,

aring in the direction of the three cabins, whence arose in the murky

exclaimed

ndle!" ejaculated No

a," Dave said. "No

You m

She come her