“How is it there, Josh; is Herb asleep yet?”
“I guess he must be,” came the answer; “because he’s snoring to beat the band, even if he don’t make much noise.”
“That’s where you made a mistake, for it’s Nick doing that. Listen again, and you’ll see I’m right. And George was yawning when he turned in, so I reckon he’s gone over the border, too.”
“What do you want to know for?” asked Josh, aware that Jack must have some reason for asking such a question.
“I’ll tell you, Josh. I mean to go ashore soon,” replied the skipper of the _Tramp_.
“Thunder! do you really mean it, Jack?” queried Josh, taken aback; for it would have to be something tremendous that could tempt him to set a foot on that same island in the night time.
“I am, with all my ears, so go right on,” the other sent back over the few feet of water separating the two boats they occupied.
“I didn’t say anything about it to the rest, Josh, but I think I saw a gleam of that lantern ashore a while back. And I’d like to investigate a little.”
“Oh, my! you wouldn’t catch me trying it,” declared Josh, with an intake of breath that told of suppressed excitement. “But will you take your gun along?”
“Perhaps I’d better, though I don’t really expect to use it,” Jack replied. “Because, you see, ghosts can’t be reached with common lead pellets. But I want you to help me Josh.”
“Me? Oh! please don’t ask me to go along, Jack. That lame foot of mine has been hurting again like anything, and I’m that clumsy I might tumble all over myself and give the thing away.”
“Oh, shucks! I don’t mean that,” Jack replied. “But when that big cloud sails over the moon I want to slip into my little dinky here, and paddle quietly ashore. I’ll hand you the rope I’ve got tied to the stern; and when you feel that shake three times, pull the boat out again, and let it float with yours. Understand?”
“Yes, yes. And I’ll do it all right, never fear. If it wasn’t for that plagued lame foot, now, Jack.”
“Let up on that, please. Now, look out, there she goes under.”
Even as Jack spoke the moon said goodbye to the world for a short time, and hid her smiling face behind a cloud that was darker than any that had thus far sailed across the starry heavens on this particular night.