Part 35 (2/2)
”I reckon I can sheer 'em all right enough,” grinned Harris, who by this time had entered fully into the spirit of the adventure.
”But will they shoot?”
”I don't believe they have any firearms,” said Tom. ”And if they have I don't think Baxter could hit the side of a house at fifty yards.”
”Are you going to keep off or not?” yelled Baxter. ”I'll give you just ten seconds in which to make up your mind.”
”By jinks! He has got a gun!” whispered Sam, as he caught a glint of the polished barrel. ”The villain!”
”Baxter, you are playing a foolish game,” answered d.i.c.k. ”What do you intend to do with Dora Stanhope?”
”That's my business. I shan't harm her--if you'll promise to leave me alone.”
”Did you run off with her on Crabtree's account?”
”It's none of your business,” put in Mumps, who had just returned to the deck, after making sure that Dora should not get away from Mrs. Goss again for the time being.
”It is my business.”
”You're awfully sweet on her, ain't you?”
”Do you know it's a State's prison offense to abduct anybody?”
”I haven't abducted anybody. She came of her own free will--at first. It's not my fault if she's sick of her bargain now.”
”I don't believe a word you say.”
”Do as you please. But are you going to keep off or not?”
”We'll not keep off.”
”Then I'll fire on you.”
”If you do so, we'll fire in return,” said Sam. ”Maybe we can scare him too,” he added, in a whisper.
”I don't believe you've got any weapon,” came from Mumps, in a voice that the toady tried in vain to steady. If there was one thing Mumps was afraid of it was a gun or a pistol.
”Try us and see,” said Tom. Then he raised his voice. ”Harris, bring up that brace of pistols you said were in the locker.”
”All right,” answered the sailor, catching at the ruse at once; and he hurried below, to return with two s.h.i.+ning barrels, made of the handles of a dipper and a tin pot. He held one of the tin barrels out at arm's length. ”Shall I fire on 'em now?” he demanded at the top of his voice.
”Don't!” shrieked Mumps, and dropped out of sight behind the mainmast of the _Flyaway_.
The toady had scarcely uttered the word when a loud report rang out, and a pistol bullet cut its way through the mainsail of the _Searchlight_. Baxter had fired his gun, but had taken good care to point the weapon over the Rover boys' heads. The bully now ran for the cabin, expecting to receive a shot in return, but of course it did not come.
By this time the two yachts were almost side by side and running along at a high rate of speed. Harris got out his boathook to catch fast to the _Flyaway_, when a cry from Tom made him pause.
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