Part 22 (2/2)

Just then he saw the inquirer drop his head, and put his right ear very near the blinds in the doors of the cabin. But he did not act as if he had discovered any thing. The skipper thought he heard some kind of a noise in the cabin, as though one of its occupants had coughed or sneezed. But he was not sure of it, and the noise was just as likely to have been the das.h.i.+ng of the water against the bow of the boat.

”You spoil the sailing of the boat by staying so far forward,” repeated the skipper, with his heart in his mouth.

”Perhaps I do, Dory Dornwood. I asked you if you happened to have the key of that padlock in your pocket,” said Pearl, as he moved aft. ”I should like to have you answer me if it isn't too much trouble.”

”Of course I have the key,” replied Dory.

”Suppose you give it to me? I should like to take a nap in the cabin while we are going down the lake,” added Pearl.

”I just said it spoiled the sailing of the boat to have you so far forward. I slept on that seat here in the standing-room last night; and I think you can take your nap just as comfortably there as in the cabin,” answered Dory.

There was something cunning and suspicious in the conduct of Pearl Hawlinshed that made the skipper very uncomfortable. He acted as though he was playing a part to accomplish a purpose. The skipper had made up his mind that it was time for him to open the cabin-doors, and thus obtain the a.s.sistance and protection of the officer.

”Don't say any thing more to me about spoiling the sailing of the boat, Dory. I know more about sailing a boat than you do,” replied Pearl. ”You are a cross-grained youth, and you know more than the law allows for a boy of your years. You beat me out of this boat; but you stole the money to buy her, and it was no trade.”

The skipper concluded that it was best to make no reply to this charge.

”We will settle that matter at another time,” continued Pearl. ”I believe I hinted to you that I wanted to take a nap in the cabin.”

”And I hinted to you that I did not want the boat loaded by the head any more,” replied Dory, who was not at all disposed to be bullied, politely or otherwise.

”I prefer to sleep in the cabin, and I want the key of that padlock,”

said Pearl more decidedly than he had before spoken.

”You can't have it,” replied Dory with quite as much decision.

”Do you wish me to throw you overboard, Dory Dornwood?” demanded Pearl, fixing his ugly look upon the skipper.

”No, I don't.”

”Then I hope you won't make me do it, for I might be sorry for it; but I must have that key.”

”I don't see what you want of the key,” added Dory, whose sober second thought was, that he had better not provoke such a dangerous man. ”This boat has a bad reputation, and I have to be very careful with her.”

”You were very careful yesterday when you ran across the lake in her with the wind blowing a heavy gale,” said Pearl with a sneer.

”I will fix a nice bed for you on that seat.”

”I want the key!” exclaimed Pearl savagely.

Dory was silent. The key was in his trousers-pocket, where he kept his wallet, containing sixty dollars. His ugly pa.s.senger was evidently determined to have the key. Unless he had discovered that some one was in the cabin, he could not see why his persecutor was so strenuous to obtain the key. Pearl was not a large man; but he was very strong and quick, as he had learned in the affair in the woods, when the ruffian had hurled him away from him as though he had been nothing but a baby.

He could hardly get the better of him if Pearl resorted to violence. His companion in the standing-room claimed to be a skilful boatman, and was not dependent upon him to act as skipper. The situation began to look very serious. Though Peppers must have heard every word that pa.s.sed between him and Pearl, he had not betrayed his presence on board of the boat. Perhaps it would have been foolish for him to do so, as he was as securely caged as though he had been locked up in the Clinton County jail.

Dory finally decided that the only thing for him to do was to open the cabin-doors, and thus secure the aid of the officer. But Pearl was watching him as a cat eyes a mouse. Whether the ruffianly pa.s.senger would permit him to open the doors was now the question. The skipper got his hand on the key in his pocket, though he did not venture to take it out. At a favorable moment, if any such was presented, he intended to make a rush to the forward deck to effect his purpose.

”There is a steamer bound to the north,” said he, pointing to a vessel a mile to the windward of the Goldwing. ”Perhaps she would run over, and pull the Missisquoi off the shoal.”

”I don't want any thing more of the Missisquoi; and she may lie where she is till she rots,” replied Pearl, without taking his gaze from Dory.

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