Swamp Island Part 40

Jerry shouted an insult. But as Ezekiel's gun spat, he upset the boat, disappearing beneath it.

"Oh, Dad!" Penny murmured anxiously, watching the craft float slowly downstream past the point. "Was Jerry really hit?"

"I don't think so."

"What if Ezekiel fires again?"

"He can't harm Jerry now unless he's forced to come up for air."

Anxiously the trio watched the overturned boat. Unless Jerry had found the pocket of air, they knew not even an expert swimmer could remain so long underwater.

Finally the boat was beyond their range of vision, blotted out by darkness.

"Jerry has nerve!" Mr. Parker commented. "He's safely through now."

Nervously the publisher and Penny kept attentive watch of Lookout Point, fearful lest Ezekiel launch a boat and try to capture them. To their intense relief, the swamper made no such move. Occasionally, they caught brief glimpses of him as he shifted his position.

Directing all their attention upon Ezekiel, Penny and her father paid less heed to the channel. Near them was a pa.s.sage so narrow a boatman could have reached out to touch bushes on either side.

A slight rustling sound close by suddenly startled Penny.

"What was that, Dad?" she whispered.

"Only the wind," he rea.s.sured her. "Ezekiel's still over there on the point. We're safe enough."

Even as he made the observation, a boat moved out from behind the screen of leaves. Penny and her father found themselves gazing directly into the barrel of a gun.

"Safe, are ye?" c.o.o.n Hawkins shouted in glee. "We got ye now, ye sneakin'

snoopers! Ye won't do no more spyin' in this swamp!"

With him in the boat were his brother and Danny Deevers.

"Git in!" c.o.o.n ordered sharply.

"What will you do with us?" Mr. Parker asked, trying to stall for time.

"We're takin' ye to Black Island," c.o.o.n replied, prodding the publisher with his gun. "Move!"

One glance at the grim, determined faces of the men convinced Mr. Parker and Penny it would be folly to resist. Silently they entered the boat.

Hod pushed off and the craft moved noiselessly away into the night.

CHAPTER 25 _OUTWITTED_

For an endless time, it seemed, the party moved deeper and deeper into the swamp. As the night became cool, Penny shivered and leaned close to her father.

Worn out, she slumped against his shoulder and finally dropped into a light sleep. When she opened her eyes, a pale moon had risen over the treetops, lighting the way.

At last, the boat brought up in a cove at Black Island.

"We're leavin' ye here," c.o.o.n informed the prisoners. "Maybe ye'll be found tomorrer or next week after we're safe away. If not, well hit's jest too bad!"

Penny and her father were hustled ash.o.r.e. Despite vigorous struggles, Mr.

Parker then was bound by c.o.o.n and Hod and lashed with his back to a tree.

Before Penny could be treated likewise, a dog began to bark.

"It's Bones!" she cried. "You have him here on the island!"

"Sure, we got him," agreed Hod indifferently.

Penny loudly called the dog's name and he bounded through the brush toward her. His long hair was matted with burs, but he seemed in good health and well fed.

Before Penny could get her hands on him, c.o.o.n seized and tossed the dog into the boat.

"Please let me keep Bones!" she pleaded.

"Yeah, leave the dog on the island," growled Danny Deevers. "He'll be a bother to us."

"Git the dog then, gal," commanded c.o.o.n.

Penny scrambled aboard the Hawkins' boat. Bones had crawled far forward.

As she bent to gather him into her arms, her hand encountered a gunny sack. Inside were wrapped three hard, round objects.

"The cans of stolen money!" Penny thought, her pulse jumping.

Without considering the punishment that might be meted out to her, she seized the sack.

"Hey!" shouted c.o.o.n furiously. "Drop those cans!"

He sprang aboard, intending to strike her a stunning blow. Penny leaped for sh.o.r.e, but the boat shot from beneath her feet.

Misbalanced, it went over, tumbling c.o.o.n and herself into the water.

But as Penny went down, she clung fast to the cans of money. Fortunately, the muddy water was shallow. Her feet touched bottom and she came up sputtering.

Hod and Danny started for the boat on a run, intending to seize her.

Suddenly, they halted, listening intently.

"What was that?" Danny demanded. "Thought I heard the splash of a paddle!"

"Two boats are coming!" Hod cried hoa.r.s.ely. "Police!"

"Come on!" ordered Danny, seizing one end of the overturned boat. "Help me right this! We'll still get away! The girl goes with us as a hostage!"