PRISONERS.
To the great relief of the prisoners the throbbing of the engine was
heard a few moments later, and there was no longer any question but that
the momentary stoppage had been caused by some trifling defect in the
machinery, which could only be remedied by slowing down.
The alarm which the boys felt at the yacht’s suddenly becoming
motionless on the waters served a far different purpose than the pirates
could have suspected.
It suggested to Ned’s mind a way of overcoming those who had taken
possession of the steamer, and that without taking too many risks of
being killed.
Instantly the engine was started again he leaped to his feet, thrust a
revolver into Roy’s hands, and whispered:
“Keep the sharpest lookout you know how on the skylight. If you see so
much as a shadow, fire at once!”
“What are you going to do?”
“I hardly know yet awhile; but I’ve got a sort of an idea which may turn
out to be a big thing.”
Then, to the great surprise of both his companions, Ned began examining
the partition which separated the cabin from the upper portion of the
engine-room.
The inspection appeared to afford him considerable satisfaction, and he
began cutting the highly polished moldings on either side of the center
panel with his pocket knife.
This apparently useless destruction was more than Vance could witness in
silence, and he asked quite sharply:
“What’s come over you now?”
Ned placed his finger on his lips as a token that no noise should be
made, and continued to work with feverish haste, stopping every now and
then to make certain he was not heard by any one who might chance to be
on the opposite side of the wood-work.
During an hour he labored industriously, and then there was an
expression of the most intense satisfaction on his face as he went
softly to Vance’s post of duty, beckoning for Roy to join them.
“That bulkhead is only made of thin boards,” he said in a whisper, “and
I have cut away the moldings until the center panel can be pulled out in
a few seconds.”
“Well, what does that amount to?” Vance asked impatiently.
“It will be possible to get into the engine-room, and if that can be
done without raising an alarm, I count on regaining possession of the
steamer with but precious little trouble.”
“How?” both boys asked in the same breath.
“Here is the scheme, and mind that you understand it perfectly, for
there will be no opportunity to explain matters after we begin
operations. There is a speaking-tube from this room to the pilot-house,
isn’t there?”
Yes,” Vance replied wonderingly. “Father had it put in so he could talk
to the man at the wheel without being obliged to go on deck.”
“Very well: when I give the word, you must whistle through and claim to
want to talk with Manuel. That will bring him up to the pilot-house.
Then you are to ask him on what terms he will agree to set us adrift at
some point where we can reach Key West without difficulty——”
“But we mustn’t think of leaving the yacht until it becomes absolute
necessary,” Roy exclaimed.
“Wait till I finish. You are to keep on trying to make a trade with
Manuel until you hear me whistle, and then you can stop. While he is
there the sailing master will beat the wheel as a matter of course,
which leaves no one but the steward and the engineer below. I shall pull
out the panel the moment you nod to show me Manuel has come to the tube.
Then each of us carrying a revolver, Vance and I will slip through. I
count on surprising the engineer so much that I shall have the weapon
leveled at his head before he knows we are anywhere near. Vance mustn’t
stop, but keep right on to the kitchen and make the darkey a prisoner in
the same manner. Then I shall whistle; you must rush down as quickly as
possible and secure all the hatches leading to the upper deck, and with
one of the revolvers run back here to shoot the first person who
attempts to get in this way.”
“But we shall be shut up below the same as we are here,” Roy said
thoughtfully.
“Yes, but it’ll be for us to say whether the yacht shall go ahead or
astern, and those fellows will be forced to come to our terms, for if a
craft of any kind should heave in sight she’d be certain to bear down on
us for the purpose of learning what was the matter, and then if the
truth didn’t get out it would be our own fault.”
“It’s a big scheme,” said Vance approvingly, “only we had better
understand beforehand what is to be done if the engineer and steward
don’t give up when we cover them with the revolvers.”
“In such a case there must be no hesitation about shooting them at once.
By that time we shall have gone so far that it will be the only way of
saving our own lives.”
“Let’s begin immediately,” Vance said eagerly.
“Wait till I fasten the cabin doors on the inside so they can’t get in
that way without considerable trouble,” Ned replied as he stole softly
and noiselessly toward the companion-way.
Three minutes later everything was in readiness for the bold scheme, and
as Vance and Ned stationed themselves in front of the partially loosened
panel, Roy whistled through the tube.
It was nearly a minute before he received any reply, and then he nodded
his head to show that the interpreter had spoken.
Ned looked at his companion to make certain the latter had his weapon
ready, and dexterously inserting the blade of his knife in the crevices
of the wood-work, succeeded in wrenching out the panel with but little
noise.
It can safely be said that their hearts were beating furiously as the
two boys darted through the opening thus made and ran swiftly down the
iron ladder which led to that portion of the yacht where it was
necessary the engineer should remain in order to attend to the
machinery.
The man looked up in surprise at the sound of the hurried footsteps, and
before he had an opportunity to speak a word Ned was aiming the revolver
directly at him as he said in a low, stern tone:
“Up with your hands, quick, or I shall fire! I shan’t have the slightest
hesitation about shooting you as I would a dog!”
The fellow had obeyed at the first glimpse of the weapon, and Ned
stepped aside slightly in order to let Vance pass him, saying as he did
so:
“Bring the darkey back here as quick as you can!”
Then turning to his prisoner, for the man had shown the white feather
instantly he was at the boy’s mercy, he added, “Catch that bar above
your head and hold on there. Remember that at the least movement I shall
shoot. I ought to do that at once, for pirates like you are not worth
the trouble necessary to keep them prisoners.”
It could be seen that the man understood English from the alacrity with
which he obeyed, and when he was grasping one of the spare steering-rods
in such a manner as to raise himself slightly from the deck, Ned held
the revolver at his head with one hand, while with the other he searched
the fellow’s pockets.
A pair of wicked-looking brass-knuckles was the result of this search,
and then Ned took from the engineer’s belt a keen-edged knife, both of
which articles he threw into the furnace-room.
This work had but just been completed when Vance entered the apartment,
driving the darkey in front of him, and never did a black face show more
evidences of fear than at this moment.
“Back that fellow against this one!” Ned said sharply as Vance appeared,
“and see how quick you can lash them together. I’ll stand ready to kill
the first one who makes any kick.”
Vance went to work as expeditiously as if he had always been accustomed
to such tasks.
First he hastily unbuckled the belts of both, and with them made a strap
of sufficient length to go around the prisoners while their arms were
lowered. Then, running back to the forward cabin, he brought out a
quantity of ratline stuff, with which he proceeded to do them up in a
perfect network.
Ned did not wait until the task was wholly accomplished.
When Vance had so far secured them that it was impossible either could
do anything toward effecting his release, Ned ran to first one
companion-way and then the other until in less than a couple of minutes
he had them well secured.
The upper door leading from the engine-room was the only point at which
those on deck could gain an entrance without considerable labor, and the
greater portion of this being glass, he thought it possible that in the
first frenzy of rage Manuel might attempt something of the kind.
Hastily dragging a couple of mattresses from the state-rooms, he placed
these against the door in such a manner that they would serve as a
screen to whoever might be standing there as sentinel.
“She’s ours, or, at least, the lower portion of her is, and I reckon
those villains will have mighty hard work to search for treasure now!”
he cried, and Vance, who had finished his task, came from the
engine-room.
“Is it safe to leave things alone there?”
“Yes, there’s plenty of water in the glass, the fires are all right, and
the prisoners lashed up so tight that it’ll be hard work for them to so
much as wink.”
“Then we’ll notify our particular friends in the wheel-house that we
don’t care about running on this course any longer,” and Ned led the way
to the state-room where Roy, looking thoroughly frightened, was yet
parleying with Manuel.
“Is it all right?” he asked in a whisper.
“Snug and neat a trick as you ever saw,” Ned replied, and then taking
his station at the tube, he cried, “Say, my piratical friend Manuel,
we’ve concluded that we don’t care to give this craft up to you without
a struggle, and while Roy was talking with you to make certain you
didn’t get into danger, Vance and I had an interview with your two chums
below. Now we have concluded that we will shut off steam awhile, because
of a very grave suspicion that the yacht is not headed for Key West.”
An exclamation of rage and astonishment could be heard by all, and then
the sharp click of the cover told that the interpreter had left very
suddenly to ascertain if the story was true.
“We may get a chance to shoot at him again,” Ned cried as he sprang to
the barricade of mattresses. “Vance, you attend to the after
companion-way, and let Roy shut off the steam. Look lively, all hands,
for now is the best chance we shall have.”
The boy was willing to take many risks for the purpose of ending the
struggle speedily, and stood peering out from the edges of the
mattresses where he could see any one who came to starboard of the
deck-houses.
His companions obeyed the commands so hurriedly given, and in a few
seconds the throbbing of the screw ceased as Roy shut off the supply of
steam.