where he had left Swallow when he came back with the milk. No Swallow was there. The others ran together to the landing-place. There was not a sign of Swallow . She had simply disappeared.
“Spread out again. Spread out again,” said John. “We’ll comb the whole island. Keep a lookout, Mister Mate, from your shore. She can’t have drifted away. He’s taken her, but he’s still on the island. We heard him.”
“Roger and I pulled her right up,” said Titty. “She couldn’t have drifted off.”
“Spread out again,” said Captain John. “Then listen. Advance as soon as the mate blows her whistle. A hoot like an owl means all right. Three hoots means something’s up. Blow as soon as you’re ready, Mister Mate.”
The mate crossed the island nearly to the western shore. She looked out through the trees. Not a sail was to be seen on the lake. Far away there was the smoke of the morning steamer, but that did not count. Roger and Titty, half a dozen yards apart, were in the middle of the island. Captain John moved a little way inland, but not so far that anyone could be between him and the shore without being seen. They listened. There was not a sound.
Then, over on the western side of the island, the mate blew her whistle.
The four began moving again through the trees and the undergrowth.
“Roger,” called Titty, “have you got a weapon?”
“No,” said Roger. “Have you?”
“I’ve got two sticks, pikes, I mean. You’d better have one.”
She threw one of her sticks to Roger.
An owl hooted away to her left.