Part 22 (1/2)
”What's up?” asked Harry, coming to his side.
”There are Si Peters and Wash Crosby on the deck of that yacht. I can see them as plain as day.”
”Our old enemies!” murmured Harry.
”Da didn't lose no time in gittin' togedder after da got out of de 'formatory, did da,” laughed Blumpo. ”Da say de bad ones allers do stick like glue.”
”Oh, maybe they'll be first-cla.s.s chaps now,” said Jerry, who was willing to let the past be forgotten.
”Don't you be too sure on that p'int, lads,” put in Jack Broxton. ”It's mighty hard to make anything out of a bad egg, and Si Peters and Wash Crosby are bad eggs if ever there were any.”
”Dat's so, fo' suah,” murmured Blumpo.
”Well, we won't have any words with them,” said Jerry. ”We'll let bygones be bygones.”
”I would like to know where they got that yacht,” said Harry. ”It can't be possible Mr. Peters bought it for Si. When Si went to the reformatory he told father he intended to send his son to a military school and cut off his allowance.”
”Maybe Si has promised to reform. Hullo! they are coming this way!”
Jerry sprang up in alarm, for the big yacht had suddenly veered around several points and was now coming head on toward them.
”We'll be run down!” shrieked Blumpo, in terror.
”The young fools!” muttered Jack Broxton. ”Don't they know anything about steering?”
”The big yacht is evidently one too many for them. See, there is no one aboard but Si and Wash. Two hands are not enough for such a craft.”
Nearer and nearer the two yachts came to each other.
Jack Broxton did his best to steer clear of the Arrow, but he was at a disadvantage. Soon the big yacht took away all the wind of the Whistler and she lay helpless.
”Keep off!” yelled Jerry, but the cry was unheeded.
Bang! Cras.h.!.+ The Arrow struck the Whistler on the bow, the long bowsprit ripping a hole in the main-sail.
Then came a smas.h.i.+ng of woodwork and the Whistler began to sink.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE ROBBERY OF THE ROCKPOINT HOTEL.
”We are lost!”
”Heaben sabe us!”
”Cling fast for your lives!”
A dozen other cries rang out, for the force of the collision was terrible.