Part 29 (1/2)

”No, sir: I will not! And I will not allow anybody else to interfere with my affairs,” answered Pearl angrily.

”I am going to open those doors,” added Captain Gildrock decidedly.

”I don't believe you will,” said Pearl, as he took the key of the padlock from his pocket.

He held it up so that the captain could see it, and then jerked it into the lake. It struck the water about fifty feet from the boat. The next instant Dory dropped into the water, and waded in the direction the villain had thrown it. He had kept his eye on the spot where it had fallen; and the water was so clear that he could see the grains of sand on the bottom.

Pearl saw that his purpose was likely to be defeated by the prompt action of the boy; and, before any one could stop him, he had leaped into the water after Dory.

”That man will drown your nephew if you let him do it, Captain Gildrock!” exclaimed Peppers, as he saw Pearl leap into the water.

But the captain had no intention of being a pa.s.sive observer of what was about to transpire in the water; for he leaped into his boat, and ordered his crew to back her. In an instant they were pulling with all their might; and the boat had nearly run over Pearl before the captain gave the order, ”Way enough!”

”Lay hold of that man,” said the captain to the two men who pulled the bow oars.

The young fellows uns.h.i.+pped their oars, and grabbed Pearl with no tender grasp. They threw him down, and then dragged him into the boat.

”Hold on to him, my lads!” added the captain. ”Don't let him go.”

Pearl struggled for his liberty; but the two young fellows jammed him down in the bottom of the boat, and held him there in spite of his efforts to shake them off.

”This is an outrage, Captain Gildrock!” gasped Pearl, out of breath from the violence of his exertions. ”I did not think this of you! I have always heard you spoken of as a fair man; but you interfere with my business, and hand me over to my enemies!”

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”THE YOUNG FELLOWS GRABBED PEARL WITH NO TENDER GRASP.”

PAGE 264.]

”Your enemies, as you call them, are willing to have the truth, whatever it is, shown out; but you are not,” replied Captain Gildrock. ”If the officer in the cuddy don't make out a case against you, I shall not meddle with you; and you can go to Canada, or wherever else you please.

Give way,” he added to the two after oarsmen.

The two men pulled the boat, and the captain steered it to the spot where Dory was looking for the key. He had taken no notice of what had been transpiring behind him, but had kept his eyes fixed on the spot where he had seen the key drop into the water. After a few minutes'

search he saw it lying on the sand, and picked it up. By this time the boat had come up to him; but he paid no attention to it, and began to wade back to the schooner.

”Come into the boat, Theodore,” said Captain Gildrock.

”No, I thank you, sir: I will wade back to the Goldwing. It won't take me but a moment.”

The captain thought the boy behaved very strangely, as he had ever since the boats from the Sylph had come alongside the schooner. But he permitted his nephew to have his own way, and Dory soon climbed over the side of the boat into the standing-room. Taking the key from his pocket, he unlocked the padlock, and threw the doors open. Peppers and Moody crawled out of their prison, and stretched their limbs; for they were rather stiff after being kept so long in one position.

By the time Captain Gildrock's boat came along side, the two prisoners were at liberty. The two bow oarsmen were told to let their captive up.

Pearl could not have been more wrathy if he had tried. The pleasant game over which he had rubbed his hands so felicitously had gone against him.

He knew that Peppers would get the best of him in the argument, and he had lost all hope. He regarded Dory as the cause of all his misfortunes; and, as soon as he was released, he sprang into the standing-room of the schooner, and rushed upon him.

Very likely it would have gone hard with poor Dory, if Moody and Peppers had not seen what the villain intended. Both of them dropped upon him, and bore him to the floor. He struggled desperately, but foolishly; for he had no chance whatever against Moody, who was a powerful man.

While the maker of tomato-wine held him, Peppers put the irons on his wrists.