The Boy Allies with Uncle Sam's Cruisers Part 31

Pirate before he nabs us again."

"We'll take advantage of the first opportunity that presents itself,"

said Frank, "no matter how small the chance of success may seem."

"And then what?" Jack wanted to know.

"We'll let the future take care of itself," said Captain Glenn quietly.

Darkness was falling when Captain Jack announced that they were nearing the end of their journey.

"I'm glad of that," said Frank. "Hope there will be a good supper ready."

"Don't you fret," laughed the pirate chief, "I'm not one of those old-fashioned pirates who starved his captives to death."

"I'm glad to hear that, Captain," declared Jack.

"Hope you don't fatten us up too much before the feast, though."

Again Captain Jack laughed, but he made no reply.

Fifteen minutes later the four prisoners made out in the semi-darkness what appeared to be a large stockade.

"Afraid of Indians, Captain?" asked Frank.

"No; Germans," was the response. "We built that wall the better to defend ourselves if we are attacked."

"You're far-seeing, at all events," declared Jack.

Half a dozen men advanced from the enclosure to meet Captain Jack and his party. The pirate chief saluted them and they greeted him cordially.

From the top of a wooded building inside the enclosure Frank made out a large wireless aerial.

"Captain Jack is a modern pirate, all right," the lad told himself.

"Send Jackson to me," ordered Captain Jack, as he followed his prisoners into the large wooden building.

A man left the room, but reappeared a few moments later, followed by a man of extremely large stature.

"Jackson," said Captain Jack, and indicated the four captives with a sweeping gesture, "these men are prisoners and I want them well guarded. You'll lock them up in the strong room and post guards outside. You will keep the keys to the door yourself. No one must enter without my permission. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," replied Jackson.

"Good. Take them away, then."

Jackson motioned the prisoners to precede him through the door. As Frank pa.s.sed out, Captain Jack called:

"I'll do myself the pleasure of calling on you tomorrow."

The big building in which the prisoners found themselves was part.i.tioned off into a number of rooms. As they pa.s.sed a door, Jack heard a faint clicking.

"Wireless room there," he said aloud.

Frank nodded in the half light.

"That's where Captain Jack gets all his tips," he said.

At the end of a long hall, the prisoners brought up against a stout door. Jackson advanced, produced a key and flung the door open.

"This will be your prison," he said. "You will find no windows, but I will provide you with sufficient candles and matches. It will do no good to try to escape as the door is of the stoutest oak; but even if you did batter it down you would find guards without and the noise would arouse the rest of us. You will find bunks inside."

"Are you going to leave us tied up like this?" demanded Frank, extending his bound hands.

"Why, I guess there is no need of that," said Jackson.

He produced a knife and cut the cords. The prisoners entered the large room. Jackson drew half a dozen candles and a quant.i.ty of matches from his pocket. These he gave to Jack.

"Make yourselves as comfortable as possible," he said.

He shut the door and locked it from the outside.

With the candles lighting up the interior of the room, the prisoners surveyed their surroundings. The room contained half a dozen hard chairs and as many bunks. There was a single table. That was all.

"Not a very presentable place, if you ask me," declared Frank.

"But a first cla.s.s prison," was Williams' comment.

All that night and the next day the prisoners remained there without sight of a human face save that of Jackson who himself brought them their meals. Captain Jack failed to keep his promise to call.

"I'm getting tired of this place," declared Frank, as he made ready for bed the following night.

"Same here," said Jack, "but what are we going to do about it?"

The answer came from an unexpected source.

The stout door creaked slightly. A moment later the head of the sailor Allen appeared within. He laid a finger to his lips and uttered a warning.

"S-h-sh!" as he entered the room. Timothy appeared behind him.

From their pockets the two sailors produced twelve Colt automatics, loaded, and an extra supply of ammunition. They motioned the prisoners to help themselves.

"But why all this?" demanded Frank in a low voice. "I thought you fellows had become pirates."

"So did we, sir," whispered Timothy, "but when we found they had locked you up here we changed our minds."

"How'd you get in?"

"Well," said Allen, grinning, "we were put on watch. Jackson appeared a few minutes ago to see that everything was O. K. Timothy, here, b.u.mped him over the head with the b.u.t.t of his gun. Then we took the key and opened the door. That's all, sir."

"You've done well," said Captain Glenn. "The next thing is to get out of here."