Angel Island

"The question before the house now is," said Ralph, "how are we going to

do it? Myself, I'd be strong for winging them sometime when they're

flying low."

The other four men burst into shocked remonstrance.

"Well, don't go up in the air," Ralph said in an amused voice. "It

wouldn't hurt them any. And it seems to me if we've definitely made up

our minds to capture them, the best way is the swiftest and surest."

"But to shoot a woman!" Pete exclaimed.

"Well, don't worry," Ralph answered him, "we haven't any guns. I did

think of bows and arrows, though." He said this in the tone of one who

throws out a suggestion and he stopped to study the faces of his fellow

conspirators. Equally they expressed horror and disgust. "All right," he

said with equanimity. "I see you're like all human nature. You're

determined to pull off this caveman stunt, but you want to do it with

every appearance of chivalry and generosity. You're saving face. All

right! I'm agreeable - although personally I think the quickest way the

most merciful. Has anybody a better plan? "

Nobody had. It was obvious, though, from the talk that followed, that

they had all been secretly considering the matter.

"The only thing for us to do," Honey said at once, "is to lie in wait.

Conceal ourselves in the bushes and leap out on them."

"That sounds easy," Ralph said. "But has it occurred to you that these

girls have the ears of wild animals? Has it occurred to you that they

have all the instincts and cunning of the animal and all the intuition

and prescience of the woman? Has it occurred to you that they always

approach from above?"

"The only thing I can think of," said Billy, "is to lasso them. Only

we've got to get them to alight and walk round first. But either they

can't walk or they don't like to walk. We must off offer them some bait.

Now, what in thunder would tempt a creature that's one-third woman,

one-third bird, and one-third angel to come down to earth?"

For a moment they were all silent considering this question. "By Jove,"

Ralph burst out finally, "what are we all sitting here like dopes for?

Those trunks are full of women's clothes. Did you ever see a woman yet

who wouldn't fall for ribbons and laces?"

"Good shot!" exclaimed Honey. "Let's go through the women-truck

to-morrow and pick out some things that would please a girl. We'll put

them on the beach a good distance off from us, so they'll not think it's

a trap. If we do that every day for a week or two they'll get accustomed

to walking round while we're working. It's our play to take no notice of

them whatever."