Part 27 (1/2)

”I'll empty these guns into the crowd of you,” he said, in a low, even voice, ”if there is one move on deck. We are coming aboard, and the better you use us the better we shall use you. Just sit still, boys,”

he added, addressing his men, ”until I get on deck.”

He was lithe and strong, and was on the deck in an instant, without opposition, his guns threatening the amazed boys and their visitors.

Captain Joe gave forth a volley of ugly growls, and would have attacked the man, but Clay ordered him back.

”Never mind the dog,” he said. ”He won't bite!”

”If he does, he'll get a chance to bite lead!” the robber exclaimed.

”Now, men,” he went on, ”climb up into the boat. Leave the rowers where they are.”

Four husky negroes, all with traces of whisky in their breath, began climbing over Alex. and Gregg to reach the motor boat. As they were steadying the rocking craft, they carried no weapons in their hands.

Then something happened which was as much of a surprise to the boys as it was to the men who were trying to capture the _Rambler_!

A rope with a wide noose at one end came whirling out of the sky and fell over the robber's head, resting for an instant in a neat coil on his shoulders!

He clutched his weapons closer and looked up. Then the line tightened about his muscular neck until his feet left the deck and his face grew red with the blood of strangulation, then grew white. The revolvers clattered to the floor, and the man's figure toppled and fell as the rope slacked.

When this strange thing happened, Alex. and Gregg were bending their heads down to permit the negroes to clamber over them. Still they saw the rope fall, saw the man gasp as it closed about his neck, and felt the negroes springing back in dismay.

Then they arose with their heavy oars in their hands and struck slas.h.i.+ng, crunching blows at the heads below them! One negro lifted an arm to shoot, but it fell with the bones of the shoulder crushed to pulp. One by one they dropped out of the boat, some with broken arms, some with broken heads. After they had all disappeared, either under the surface of the lagoon or into the darkness of the swamp, a shrill voice came from the tree where Mose had taken refuge from the snakes and the alligators:

”Go on, white folks,” it said, ”Ah goin' hang dis immitation c.o.o.n up on dis tree!”

CHAPTER XXI

DODGING A POLICE BOAT

”You little c.o.o.n!” Clay gasped.

”Hurrah for Mose!” cried Alex.

”If you'll come down here I'll hug you!” shouted Gregg.

”How did you ever think of it?” Case called out.

Mose, now the happiest little negro boy in the United States, sat astride of his limb and grinned until it seemed that the top of his head would drop off backward!

In the meantime, the river pirate had remained unnoticed on the deck, the rope so deftly dropped by Mose still around his neck. Case finally bent over him.

”Why!” he exclaimed, shrinking back. ”The man is dead!”

”Dead!” echoed Clay. ”What killed him?”

Then they all bent over the still figure for a closer examination.

Just as Case had declared, the robber was dead. His neck had been broken by the rope when Mose had drawn him off his feet! Alex. looked up at the boy.