human
What's the matter, Bud? Hal inquired, as he literally tore the phones from his ears.
gpt
Has anything happened?
human
Not exactly, the other replied.
gpt
But I've made a discovery that may mean trouble for us. At least, we'll have to be on the lookout from now on.
human
Why--what do you mean? Hurry up; don't keep me in suspense. What kind of discovery have you made?
gpt
I've discovered that we're not the only persons on this island,
human
Why, Bud, what do you mean? Hal demanded, in astonishment.
gpt
Who else is on this island?
human
Some men. I don't know how many, Bud replied in cautious tone.
gpt
I heard them talking about us. But keep your voice low, for this island is small and they may hear you.
human
I was going to remark that this is a small island to contain much of a hiding place for anybody.
gpt
Yes, but it's wild with bushes. And these men are bad fellows, I could tell from the way they talked about us. They're as mad as hops 'cause we're here. They're studying how to get rid of us without making more trouble for themselves.
human
That's funny, Hal remarked.
gpt
Why should they care if we're here? Do they claim they own this island?
human
I don't know whether they do or not. I didn't hear them say anything about that.
gpt
Where are they now?
human
Over near our fishing place, if they haven't left. They were hidden in some bushes, and I might 'ave run right into them if it hadn't been for their voices. After I heard them I kept myself under cover and crept closer till I could get what they said.
gpt
Were you listening to them all the time you were gone?
human
Just about.
gpt
And didn't you find out anything more specific than what you've told me?
human
No, I don't think I did.
gpt
Why did you leave them?
human
They seemed to 've talked the subject dry and turned to other matters, and I thought I'd better come and tell you about it.
gpt
And they're there yet?
human
So far as I know.
gpt
After they'd talked their subject dry, what did they find to discuss?
human
Something wet,
gpt
I get you; you mean they had some moonshine with them.
human
Or some Canadian whisky.
gpt
Probably that. But this makes the situation look a little better for us. If they're just a bunch of fellows out for a liquor outing, maybe we don't need to be much concerned about them if we keep shy of them.
human
I don't think that's all there is to it, Bud replied, with a note of warning in his voice.
gpt
I heard one of them say we were likely to make trouble for them and we ought to be chased away and scared so badly we'd never come around here again, and the others seemed to agree with him.
human
That sounds like a mystery,
gpt
I don't believe Mr. Perry would talk mathematics to explain such conversation,
human
If he did, he'd probably make another pun about sines and cosines. But, say, don't you think we'd better make further investigation?
gpt
I don't know what we could do unless we did some more eavesdropping, and that might cause them to get ugly if they caught us in the act,
human
Yes, Hal agreed;
gpt
I suppose we'd better wait as quietly as we can till Mr. Perry and Cub get back; then we can decide better what to do.
human
I don't see that there's anything for us to do but get away from here as soon as possible, said Bud.
gpt
Mr. Perry won't want to get into trouble with four men.
human
He'll probably have a talk with them to find out what's on their minds,
gpt
And then get out rather than have a fight,
human
Oh, I hope there won't be anything as bad as that.
gpt
Why not, if we insist on staying? If these fellows are the rough characters we suspect them of being, that's the very sort of thing they'd resort to, provided, of course, that they thought they could get the best of us.
human
Here they come now! suddenly gasped Hal, indicating, with his gaze, the direction from which