To his surprise, the canoe came to land directly in front of the
hut, and the three men sprang out into the shallow water and drew
it up on the beach. From the bottom of the canoe they lifted a long
object rolled in canvas. Suspending this from their shoulders, they
disappeared into the hut.




CHAPTER IV

THE HUT ON THE BEACH


Hugh was agog with curiosity. He felt that he must find out who were
those three stealthy strangers and what they were doing there.

"Perhaps they're smugglers," was his first thought. "If they are,
I'd be doing a real service to Uncle Sam if I could report their
whereabouts to the _Petrel_ when she comes back this way. Gee! it's
worth the risk! Here goes!"

Without stopping to think much more about it, Hugh began to creep
forward on hands and knees down the mound and quite close to the
bamboo lean-to. Though usually unwilling to play the part of an
eavesdropper, he felt justified in his present impulsive venture
by the actions of the three men, for they seemed to be engaged
in some underhand work which would not stand the light of day.
So hiding himself behind a cypress stump, Hugh listened eagerly,