"I'll have you know that that boy was my cousin. We have good reason
for believing that he's on this island and _we're going to search
it_!"

"Oh, indeed!" and Jerry could have sworn that there was a twinkle in
the man's eye for all there was no mistaking the threat in his
voice. "Well, I can promise you a full-sized spanking unless you
make yourselves scarce in just about one half minute. This makes the
third time I've had to chase you off--and third time's the charm,
you know."

"But why don't you want us to look for our friend? Surely you've got
nothing against him--or us."

"Not a thing. Not a thing, sonny. Only I live on this place, and I
can't have a troop of youngsters tracking mud in at my front door.
That friend of yours couldn't very well be on my island without my
knowing it, could he?"

"But you've never said out and out that he wasn't on the island,"
asserted Jerry boldly. "And you've acted so suspicious that--that we
wouldn't believe you now if you did say it."

The man laughed at that, for Jerry had started out by trying to be
diplomatic, but his feelings got the better of him before the end.

"I'll be careful not to say it then. As for the tackle box--here it
is." Jerry opened his eyes wide; he had thought the box a pure
invention on the part of Phil. "Now back water and keep backing."