Part 41 (1/2)
The board was brought, and d.i.c.k 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 d.i.c.k found himself confronted by Pold, Jeffers, and Sack Todd, each with a weapon ready for use.
CHAPTER XXIX
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 d.i.c.k.
For the instant d.i.c.k 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 d.i.c.k'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 s.h.i.+p.
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 s.h.i.+n with his heavy shoe.
Then he caught hold of Pold's iron bar and began to wrestle for its possession.
”You d.i.n.k 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 part.i.tion 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 d.i.c.k, 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 pa.s.sageway 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 pa.s.sed on and was in time to aid d.i.c.k. 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. d.i.c.k 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!”