HATCHWAY AND DOOR
The news that the men were trying to break out of the engine room
was true. Gasper Pold and Sid Jeffers had gotten a long piece of iron
pipe and with this they were hammering at the hatch. One of the
fastenings was already off and the others much weakened.
"Stop!" cried Dick, rushing up. "Stop, or we'll open fire on you!"
"We are bound to get out and you can't stop us!" yelled back Gasper
Pold, and started to mount the iron ladder with a long wrench. This
instrument he placed under a corner of the hatch and began to pry
the wooden barrier upward.
"Not so fast!" sang out Tom, and rushing up he sprawled over the
hatch and caught the end of the wrench. "One good wrench deserves
another!" he muttered, his love of fun coming to the surface even in
such a pitch of excitement, and with that he gave the wrench a wrench
that brought it from Pold's grip and allowed the hatch to fall into
place.
"All aboard!" sang out Tom, and Dick, Sam, and Hans leaped on top of
the hatch. "Nothing like holding 'em down!"
"Let us up!" roared Sid Jeffers, and a moment later a pistol shot
rang out and a bullet came crashing through the hatch, but its force
was so spent it merely bounced against Han's trouser leg.
"I vos hit! I vos hit!" shrieked the German youth, dancing around.
"I vos a teat boy alretty!"
"Hans, are you really hit?" asked Dick, in alarm.
"Yah, but--I guess it ton't vos much," added Hans sheepishly, as he
realized that no damage had been done.
"Here, hold it down with this," cried Dan Baxter and came forward
with two capstan bars. These were placed across the hatch and the
four boys took their stations at the ends of the bars. Thus they
managed to get out of firing range of those below.
"This is certainly growing interesting," was Dick's comment, as there
was a moment's suspension of hostilities. "I hardly know what to do
next."
"If you don't let us up we'll blow up the ship!" yelled Gasper Pold.
He was in a terrible fury.
"If you blow up the ship, you'll go up with her," answered Sam.
"Gracious, vill da do dot?" asked Hans, in alarm.
"No, they'll not be so foolish," answered Tom. "They value their
worthless hides too much."
"You've nearly killed Sack Todd and we'll have you arrested for it,"
went on Gasper Pold.
"You'll be nearly killed if you don't look out," answered Dick. "We
are in possession and we mean to keep in possession."
"You can't run the boat without the engine."
"Yes, we can, for the sails are ready for use. We won't have to run,
though. By morning we expect to sight some other vessel and then
we'll get help."
"What have you done with those two sailors?" asked Sid Jeffers.
"Put them where they can't do any harm."
"Where is Baxter?" asked Pold.
"That is for you to find out."
"I am here," said the former bully of Putnam Hall.
"Helping that crowd?"
"Yes. I don't want anything more to do with you, or with Sack Todd
either."
"The young skunk!" muttered the mate of the _Dogstar_. "I told you
I didn't like his looks."
"Say, Dick Rover, let us talk this matter over," said Gasper Pold,
calming down a little. "If you'll be reasonable I am sure we can come
to terms that will be satisfactory all around."
"I don't think so."
"This craft is worth a lot of money, so the mate of the _Dogstar_
says, and there is no reason why all of us shouldn't make a neat pile
out of her."
"Do you want us to go in partnership with you?" asked Tom, in disgust.
"That's it, and if you will, we'll say nothing about your hurting
Sack Todd."
"Is he bad?" asked Sam.
"He is bad enough. We want to get out so that he can have proper
attention and medicine."
"Better give him some of that doctored water," suggested Tom, grimly.
"Don't get fresh, young man!"
"I think you are the one who is fresh!" retorted Tom. "Do you think
we are going to train with such fellows as you? Not much!"
"Then you won't make terms?"
"No," came from the three Rovers.
At this the men at the foot of the iron ladder muttered something
that our friends could not catch. The rascals were furious and wanted
to do some more shooting, but did not dare, fearing shots in return.
"Will you let Sack Todd have some water?" asked Pold, presently.
"There is good water in the bucket," answered Dick.
"That's gone."
"Then you'll have to wait until later for more."
"Todd has got to have water."
At this announcement the boys looked questioningly at each other.
"It may be true," said Dick. "I shouldn't want the man to die just
because we had refused him water."
"It may be a trick, just to get the hatch open again," put in Dan
Baxter. "If I were you I wouldn't trust them. I know that crowd better
than you do."
"You can have water in the morning," called down Dick. "In the meantime
you keep quiet and do what you can for Todd. If you don't keep quiet
you'll get the worst of it."
"Wait till I get my hands on you!" came in the hoarse voice of Sack
Todd. "I'll pulverize you!"
"He's a long way from being dead, by his voice," said Dick. "I reckon
he was playing off on us." And this was largely true. Sack Todd's
wound was painful but by no means serious.
It must be confessed that the boys hardly knew how to proceed. But
presently Dick remembered where he had seen some hooks and nails and
he sent Dan Baxter for these. When they were brought he calmly
proceeded to fasten the extra hooks to the hatch and then hook them
fast to the deck.
"What are you doing now?" yelled Gasper Pold, and when he was told
he muttered things I do not care to mention on these pages.
"Now, Sam and Tom, you remain on guard here, while the rest of us go
and secure that door below," said Dick.
"It is secure," said Tom.
"Yes, I know, but some extra cross bars won't do any harm."
"Want me to help?" asked Baxter.
"You can come along," said Dick, not altogether willing to leave the
former bully out of sight.
He hurried to the door in question, one leading from the back of the
engine room into something of a storeroom. The door was fastened by
two ordinary bolts.
"I'll soon fix that!" said the eldest Rover. "Dan, you hold the
lantern. Hans, bring that piece of board here."
The board was brought, and Dick began to nail it fast, directly over
the door. He had still another nail to drive when there came an
unexpected crash on the other side.
"All together!" yelled the voice of Gasper Pold. "Now then, with a will!"
Another mighty crash followed and then a third. With this the door
flew from its hinges, and over it came, hurling Hans flat on his
back. Then Dick found himself confronted by Pold, Jeffers, and Sack
Todd, each with a weapon ready for use.