noon
Jim hastily gathered an armful of branches and threw them over the prisoner , completely concealing his form , and then the boys carried him to the boat much as if he had been nothing more than a log of wood . The fellow was laid in the bottom of the craft , and around him were packed the goods he had stolen from the camp . `` It will load the old boat down pretty heavy ; but there 's no wind blowing , an ' we sha n't have a very hard pull back , '' Jim said , as he took his place at the oars , leaving Jet to push off . It was not much past noon when the start was effected , and the boys had the supreme satisfaction of knowing that the most important of their human game had not been warned of what was being done . `` Say , how would it do to move our camp down opposite Dollar Island after dark ? '' Jim asked , when they were some distance from the shore . `` We could then take the chances of running over to search the place , and would n't have so far to go . ''