DAN BAXTER'S REPENTANCE
The three Rover boys could scarcely believe their senses. Here they
were once more in full possession of the _Mermaid_ so far as the deck
and cabin were concerned--and those who had sought to make them
prisoners were prisoners themselves.
"This is where the biter got bit," remarked Tom. "Say, I feel so good
I could almost dance."
"Sack Todd got shot," said Dick. "I'd like to know if it is serious."
"Well, I am not very sorry for him," said Sam. "He's a thoroughly
bad egg."
"We want to make certain of Dan Baxter," went on the eldest Rover.
"He may fool Hans."
They walked toward the cabin and ran down the companionway. At the
lower doorway they paused and then Tom grinned.
On one side of the room was Dan Baxter with his hands in the air. On
the other side was Hans, with a pistol in each hand.
"Ton't dare to mofe," Hans was saying. "Of you do I vos put oxactly
fourteen shots into your poty, ain't it!"
"I am not moving," grumbled Baxter. "Didn't I tell you I am sick of
the whole thing, Dutchy? I don't want to fight, or anything."
"Tan Paxter, you chust remember dot old saying, beoples vot lif in
glass houses ton't got no right to tell fish stories," answered Hans,
gravely.
"Hans, that's a good one!" roared Tom, coming forward. "Say, you're
a whole regiment in yourself, ain't you?"
"Yah, I vos so goot like ten or sefenteen soljers, alretty!" answered
the German youth, proudly. "Paxter, he ton't got avay from me, not much!"
Hans lowered his pistols and Dan Baxter was glad enough to put down
his hands. Dick glanced into the staterooms and saw that the two
sailors were still sleeping heavily.
"We'll throw them down into the hold," said the eldest Rover. "That
will keep them out of mischief, when they awake."
"Vot apout dem men?" asked Hans, anxiously.
"All prisoners," answered Sam.
"Prisoners!" ejaculated Dan Baxter.
"Yes, Dan, they are prisoners, down in the engine room," answered
Dick. "We've given them the same dose they gave us."
"Then you are in possession once more?"
"Yes--as far as it goes. And I want to talk to you as soon as we've
disposed of these sailors," added Dick.
"Shall I help you carry them out?"
"Do you want to?"
"If you wish it."
"Mind you, I don't want any trick played, Dan."
"I won't play any trick, Dick--I give you my word."
"This is a serious situation and we don't propose to take any more
chances. We are on top and we mean to stay on top," added the eldest
Rover.
While Hans held a lantern, the three Rovers and Dan Baxter carried
the two sailors through the cabin and out on the deck. Tom was working
with the former bully of Putnam Hall and declared afterward that he
never felt so queer in his life. But Baxter worked with a will and
did his full share of lifting.
The hatch to the hold was not far off and the men were put down
without great trouble. Then the hatch was closed and fastened.
"Now, Dan, you are the only enemy we have who is at liberty," said
Dick, turning to the big youth. "I want to know exactly what you
propose to do."
"What I do will depend a good deal on what you do," was the somewhat
low answer. "I know I am in your power. But I'd like you to remember
one thing--about how I warned you not to drink the drugged water and
how I brought you some good water."
"I am not going to forget that."
"That's a point to your credit, Dan," said Sam.
"If it hadn't been for that I--er--I don't know where you'd be now.
As I said before, I've been pretty bad--but not quite as bad as that."
"Do you think we ought to let you go for what you did for us?" asked
Tom, who never wanted to beat about the bush.
"I don't know as you ought to do that--but I'd like you to do it.
I'd like to have the chance to go away--far away--and strike out
fresh. My father wants me to do it--he's written me three letters
about it. He wants me to go to the Hawaiian Islands, or the Philippines,
or to Australia. He says--but I don't suppose you are interested in
what he writes."
"I am," answered Dick, promptly.
"He spoke of what you did for him and he says I--well, I ought to be
ashamed to keep up the old enmity after what happened--after you
saved his life. I--er--I guess he's right--and I am sick of it all."
"Well, I hope you stay sick of it--I mean sick of doing wrong," said Sam.
"Maybe I will--I don't know and I am not going to promise. But I am
sick enough of being here, among such rough men as Sack Todd and
Gasper Pold and that crowd of counterfeiters that was captured. I
haven't had any real comfort for months."
"I don't believe a criminal ever feels real comfortable," said Tom.
"How can he, when he knows the officers of the law are constantly
after him?"
"There is something in that. When I go to bed I generally dream of
being caught and dragged to prison. And those men always wanted me
to drink, and I don't care much for liquor."
"Then cut it out--cut it out by all means," said Dick. "You can't do
better."
"And there is another thing," went on Dan Baxter. "I don't feel
well--everything I eat lately goes against me, and sometimes I'm in
a regular fever. I ought to rest somewhere, I suppose, and have a
good doctor attend me. But I can't do anything to make me feel better
chasing around like this."
After that Dan Baxter told a good deal more about himself--how he
had been knocking around in all sorts of questionable places and how
the dissipation had grown very distasteful to him. It had certainly
ruined his health, and his eyes had a hollow, feverish look in them
that made his appearance rather pitiable.
"You are certainly run down," said Dick, "and unless you take extra
good care of yourself you'll be flat on your back with some serious
illness. But the question still is, Dan, What are we to do with you?"
"I know what I'd like you to do."
"What?"
"Let me land somewhere where I am not known, so that the officers of
the law can't get hold of me. Do that, and I'll promise to go far
away and never trouble you again."
"I don't think that would be right," said Tom. "We might be willing,
but we can't assist a criminal to escape--that's a crime in itself."
"Then you won't let me go?"
"Tom is right, we can't do it, legally. Personally I'd be willing to
let you go," said Dick.
"So would I--if you really wanted to do better," came from Sam.
"Yah, I ton't stand in nopody's vay," added Hans. "I vos glad to see
a man make a goot poy of himselluf!"
There was an awkward pause. Twice Dan Baxter started to speak and
checked himself. They almost looked for one of his former wild
outbreaks, but it did not come. He hung his head low.
"All right--have your way," he whispered, hoarsely, and dropped into
a chair. "I am done fighting. I'll take my medicine, no matter how
bitter it is."
"Perhaps we can make matters a little easy for you," said Dick, in
a gentle tone. "I am sure none of us want to see you suffer--if you
want to reform."
"Of course we'll be easy," said Sam, and Tom and Hans nodded.
"Well, if you'll do--What's that?"
Dan Baxter broke off short and all in the cabin listened. There was
a thud and a crash, followed by another crash.
"They are trying to break out of the engine room!" yelled Dick.
"Come, we must stop them!" And he started for the deck, and all of
the crowd went after him.