“All right,” said Warden Williams. “Now, boys, tumble aboard the boats. Mitchell, you take your load, and when we land you stand by your boat. Joe, you get your load and when we reach there let June Emery stand by your boat.”
“Aw, Mr. Williams, does that keep me out of the fracas?” asked June, who had come around by the side of Jack and Ray.
“Well, I don’t know,” said Mr. Williams, slowly scratching his head. “Seems sort of mean to keep you out of it. I guess Mitch, here, can watch the two boats if you’re keen to mix it up with the rest. All right, you can be one of the fightin’ force.”
At this gratifying news, Jack and Ray could see the lad’s face brighten and they were glad for his sake that he was going to share whatever excitement might attend the raid. All three lads kept close together and found a place in Mitchell’s boat during the scramble of embarking.
With the men aboard, the respective skippers were not long in casting off and presently the two boats were racing through the mist, the swift little Betsy Anne taking the lead immediately.
To Jack and Ray there was a peculiar fascination about the night’s work. A primitive instinct seemed to work to the surface when they realized that they were slipping along silently through the black water, bent on surprising the lobster pirates. Indeed, the spirit of the expedition was so strong that before the boats were half way to the Point men and boys were talking in whispers and even the swish and gurgle under the bow seemed to become subdued.
“Say, but this is exciting,” whispered Jack to June Emery, who sat at his elbow.
“You bet it is. We’re in for a rough time too, I’m a-thinking. These Frenchmen ain’t any children when it comes to scrapping, and they’re liable to get their bad blood up before the night’s over and knife a couple of us. There’s been some wild doin’s over there at the Point sometimes when the whole crew was filled full of licker. Fred King sells licker right out in the open, even though it’s agin’ the law in Maine. They’re a bad lot, I tell you.”
“I know French Canadians and half-breeds,” said Ray. “One got loose down in Ascog one night after he’d been out getting tight, and before they got him into the lockup he’d laid three men up for repairs. They’ve bad blood in them, I guess.”
“Jiminy, I wonder what will break loose to-night, then?” asked Ray breathlessly.