AN EXCITING TIME ALL AROUND
"We've got him! Down with him!" roared Sack Todd, as he leaped over
the fallen door and made a grab for Dick.
For the instant Dick did not know what to do, then he stepped backward
and at the same time attempted to draw his pistol.
"No, you don't!" yelled Gasper Pold, and aimed a blow at Dick's head
with an iron bar he carried.
Had the blow landed as intended, the eldest Rover might have had his
skull crushed in. But as the iron bar was descending Dan Baxter made
a quick jump to Pold's side, gave him a shove and hurled him flat.
"Stop it!" cried the former bully of Putnam Hall. "Do you hear? Do
you want to kill somebody?"
"So you're against us, eh?" yelled Sack Todd. "Well, we'll fix you!"
He tore a pistol from his pocket and started to aim it at Baxter.
But the latter was now on the alert and, whirling around, he caught
Sack Todd by the coat collar with one hand and with the other raised
the pistol up into the air. It went off, but the bullet merely plowed
its way into the woodwork of the ship.
By this time Hans had managed to scramble from beneath the fallen
door. The German youth had not been hurt very much but his "Dutch
blood" was up, and throwing prudence to the wind he sailed in
vigorously, hitting Pold a blow in the stomach with his fist, and
kicking the mate of the _Dogstar_ in the shin with his heavy shoe.
Then he caught hold of Pold's iron bar and began to wrestle for its
possession.
"You dink I vos noddings put a poy, hey!" he snorted. "I show you,
ain't it! You pig loafer!" And he ran Pold up against a partition
and got the iron bar directly under the rascal's throat so that the
fellow was in danger of strangling.
Sid Jeffers had now turned his attention to Dick, and blows were
given and taken freely between the pair. The noise made was considerable,
and this finally reached the ears of Sam and Tom.
"Something is wrong!" cried Tom. "I'll go and see. If you want me
back whistle as loudly as you can." And he was off like a shot.
The sight that met Tom's gaze at first almost stupefied him. He came
upon Sack Todd and Dan Baxter fighting hand to hand in a passageway
leading to the deck. Sack Todd had fired one shot which had grazed
Dan's left cheek. But now the youth had the man against the wall and
was banging his head against it again and again.
"You will shoot me, eh?" cried Baxter. "You're a villain if ever
there was one, Sack Todd. I am bad enough but I'm not as dirty and
black as you. Take that, and that, and that!"
"Hi! let up! You'll smash my head!" roared the ex-counterfeiter, but
Dan Baxter paid no attention until one blow caused Sack Todd to lose
consciousness and sink down in a heap.
Tom had already passed on and was in time to aid Dick. Coming up to
the side of Sid Jeffers he hit the mate of the _Dogstar_ a stinging
blow in the ear and then another in the chin. Dick at the same time
struck the rascal in the eye, and Jeffers staggered back, tripped
over the fallen door, and landed heavily on the floor. At once Tom
sat down on him, pulling out his pistol as he did so.
"Now keep quiet or something worse will happen," he said, and the
mate of the _Dogstar_ understood and subsided.
With the fall of Sack Todd, Dan Baxter turned back to aid the others.
He saw Sid Jeffers go down and then ran toward Hans.
"You might as well give up," he said to Gasper Pold. "They've got
the best of your crowd."
"Yes, and you helped them," said Pold, sullenly. "Just wait. I'll
fix you for this!"
The noise continuing, Sam had left his post and arrived on the scene.
He ran off for a rope and with this Sack Todd was bound hands and
feet. Seeing this, Gasper Pold and the mate of the _Dogstar_ retreated
again into the engine room.
"Put up that door!" cried Dick, and without delay it was raised and
put in place and then fastened in such a manner that it was next to
impossible to budge it. Then they ran on deck and fastened down the
hatch. After that they gave Todd their attention.
When he came to his senses the ex-counterfeiter raved wildly and
demanded that he be set free. He was particularly bitter against Dan
Baxter.
"I'll fix you," he said. "Wait till we get into court. I'll have a
fine story to tell about you." To this Baxter did not reply although
he turned very pale.
Seeing they could do little with Sack Todd, the Rovers decided to
put him down in the hold with the sailors and this was done. Then
the party with Baxter gathered on deck to discuss the situation.
"Talk about a strenuous night," exclaimed Tom. "I don't think it
could be more strenuous than it has been."
"Dan, I want to say right now that you have helped us a great deal,"
said Dick, turning to the big youth. "But for you we might have lost
that battle."
"Dot is so," said Hans. "You vos tone splendidly alretty!"
With two of the enemy in possession of the engine room, it was of
course impossible to run the machinery of the steam yacht, and this
being so our friends decided to wait until daylight before attempting
to make another move.
"It is after three o'clock," said Dick. "We may as well get what rest
we can. We can take turns at remaining on guard," and so it was
decided. But it must be said that nobody got much sleep, so great
was the general excitement.
While he was on guard Dick had a long private talk with Dan Baxter,
and for once the former bully of Putnam Hall opened his heart
completely. He had been knocking around "from pillar to post" so long
that he was utterly discouraged and scarcely cared what happened.
Since his father had reformed, and he had lost the companionship of
Lew Flapp, he had been traveling among strangers and not a one of
them had proved worth knowing, as he expressed it.
"I was a great big fool that I didn't turn over a new leaf when my
father did," he said. "I had a chance then to do something for myself.
Now I am so deep in the mud I don't know how I'll ever get out."
"I am certainly sorry for you, Dan--especially after what you did
for our crowd to-night. If you really want to turn over a new leaf
I am willing to help you all I can. But you know how the law stands--we
can't let you go after what has happened in the past. If you come up
for trial, though, I'll be as easy as I can on you, and I know the
others will be easy, too. Perhaps, as you are young, you'll get off
with a light sentence, and then you'll have a chance to reform after
that."
At this Dan Baxter hung his head.
"It's a terrible disgrace--to go to prison," he answered, in a low
tone. "But my father had to go through it, and I guess I am worse
than he is." He heaved a deep sigh. "Well, I'll try to stand it."
"If it gets as far as that, when you come out, Dan, you come straight
to me and I'll help you."
"Will you do that, Dick?" asked the former bully, eagerly, and for
the instant his face brightened.
"I will, and there is my hand on it," and then the two who had been
enemies for so many years shook hands. After that Dan Baxter continued
to talk about himself. He seemed anxious to unburden his heart, and
Dick allowed him to proceed and listened with interest to the recital.
As soon as it was daylight the Rovers, Hans, and Baxter went on deck
to decide upon the all-important question of what to do next. Dick
had inspected the sails and found them in trim for use, and presently
they set sail and once more the steam yacht was headed for Tampa Bay.
There was a stiff breeze blowing, and although the craft made no such
speed as when under steam she went along right well, and they were
all content.
About the middle of the forenoon they heard a thumping on the hatch
over the engine room. Pold and Jeffers wanted something to eat and
to drink, and wanted to make terms, but they told the rascals they
would have to wait until land or some vessel was sighted. They also
got a call from Sack Todd and the sailors who had revived from their
stupor, but decided to let these fellows wait also.
"The sailors have done us no harm," said Dick. "But a waiting spell
will do them good, after such a beastly spree."
It was one o'clock, and Hans was preparing dinner for all on deck
when Tom gave a cry.
"A small steamer is approaching!" he said. "Hadn't we better signal her?"
"By all means," answered Dick. "Let us steer directly for her, too."
And this was done.
The vessel approaching proved to be nothing more than a regular gulf
tug, carrying eight people. As it came closer Sam, who had a spy-glass,
gave a shout:
"What do you think! There are Fred and Songbird, and yes, there is
Harold Bird, too! Oh, how glad I am that they are safe!"