The sun rose clear just as a small steam launch rounded the northern end of the Isle au Haut. A mile away to the northwest a yacht under full sail was making toward Deer Island.
“That is the _White Wings_,” said Frank Merriwell, who was at the wheel of the _Fox_, grim determination expressed on his handsome face. “Those lobster fishermen told us the truth when they said they had seen her leaving the island with the first peep of day.”
“There is a clear course between us,” declared Howard Dustan, who was studying a chart of the bay. “Hold straight for her, Merriwell.”
Hodge, Diamond and Wallace were also on the launch. Bart had not been seriously injured in the encounter the previous night, and he had found a rock to which he could cling after being flung from the bank into the cove.
While Bart was clinging there, the _Fox_ came creeping back into the cove, and he was taken on board. But Merriwell had been overcome, and when the boys went to his rescue they were too late. They saw through the darkness the boat that was carrying Frank off to the _White Wings_. Then they hurried back to the _Fox_, and backed out of the cove without delay.
Dustan explained the disappearance of the launch by saying that, after Bart and Frank went ashore, they heard some men talking and knew they were looking for the launch by circling the shore of the island. As quietly as possible he and Diamond had pushed the _Fox_ out of the cove.
Knowing Frank was a captive and had been taken on board the _White Wings_, the boys ran round the island in the launch, intending to try to board the yacht and attempt to rescue Merriwell.
They were surprised to find the yacht under sail. Then they followed her in the little launch, the light that she carried enabling them to do so. As they carried no light, they were not discovered.
When Frank and Wallace were cast adrift the launch was lying at a distance. It started to follow the yacht, but Diamond discovered the small boat was gone, and then he felt certain Frank had been put adrift in her.
Thus it came about that the launch ran out to search for the small boat, which it found just in time to save two lives.
And now the boys were again after the stolen yacht, having been aided by some lobster catchers who had seen the _White Wings_.