"Well," one of them announced, "seems like you boys can expect company."

The boys expected the car to turn over, but it held the dusty ground and sped off out of sight.

The boys expected the package to be on its way by now.

He wondered if the really bright boys expected as much for themselves.

The boys expected it would bear fruit next year.

"I think most Russian boys expect to be taken care of," she continued.

Brown eyes met blue with a shock of surprise; the boy had not expected to be balked.

These are subtle suggestions that the author thinks the island is not quite what the boys expect.

The boy expected him to make for one of the stairways leading up and was surprised when he did exactly the opposite.

The times had changed, boys expected more, and a streak of violence entered Alger's work.