The Rover Boys on Land and Sea Part 34

"Yes, I am--am all right, but--but pretty well f.a.gged out," gasped Sam.

"It was a close shave," said Captain Blossom. "And our guns are gone."

"We had two dead goats, too," put in Tom. "They went overboard first, and--goodness gracious--is that really Dan Baxter?"

"Dan Baxter!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Sam, and even Captain Blossom stared in amazement.

"I see you've had a rough time of it," said Baxter, coming forward coolly. "How are you?"

He shook hands with Captain Blossom, while the Rover boys continued to stare at him.

"Are you alone?" asked the master of the _Golden Wave_.

"No, Jack Lesher is with me, and we left nine of the sailors on another island."

"Is that so? Where is Lesher now?"

"In the house, asleep."

"He is intoxicated," said Nellie. "We has been drinking ever since he put in an appearance."

"Humph! That's like Lesher," muttered the captain, and his brow darkened.

All moved toward the house, and entered to get out of the wet. The mate was still at the table, snoring loudly.

"Might as well let him sleep it off," said the captain. "But when he is sober I'll have a talk with him."

Wet clothing was changed for dry, and then the captain and the boys listened to what Baxter and the girls had to tell. The captain was glad to learn that so many of his men had been saved, and asked for the names.

"I don't care much about Peterson and McGlow," he said. "They are tough customers. I would rather have heard from Peabody, d.i.c.kson, and Fearwell. You don't know anything about them?"

"No," said Dan Baxter.

"This news about d.i.c.k and old Jerry worries me," said Tom.

"Dan Baxter, I think you know more than you care to tell," said Sam boldly.

The bully hardly knew how to reply. He could not now fall back on Jack Lesher for support, and he had thought to be on his way to rejoin the sailors ere this. The storm had upset all of his calculations.

It had been a foolish movement to attack d.i.c.k and old Jerry, and it now looked as if he must suffer for it.

"Well--er--I don't mind telling you that d.i.c.k and the mate had something of a quarrel," he said hesitatingly.

"How did it end?" asked Tom.

"I can't say exactly."

"Why not? You were with Lesher at the time."

"No, I wasn't. He ordered me to get into the rowboat and wait for him while he went back to get a pistol or a gun. I heard loud talking on the deck of the schooner, and I knew a row was on. I was just going back to the deck when the mate came and leaped into the rowboat.

He said the sailor and d.i.c.k were going to remain behind, and that we wouldn't wait any longer. Then we rowed over here."

"If that's the case I'll make Lesher tell us what happened," cried Tom, and shook the mate roughly. "Wake up here!" he cried. "Wake up and give an account of yourself!"

CHAPTER XXIV

IN CLOSE QUARTERS

Slowly d.i.c.k came to his senses. He remembered little or nothing, and only knew that all was dark around him, and that his head was spinning like a top.

For several minutes he remained quiet, trying to collect his thoughts.

Then he sat up and pa.s.sed one hand slowly over his forehead.

"Oh, how my heed aches!" he murmured.

It was fully five minutes before he felt like moving around. Then he arose and took a step forward and stumbled over old Jerry's body.

"Oh!" he murmured, and felt of the body in the dark, "Who is this?

Can it be Jerry?" he asked himself.

Then came a recollection of the cowardly attack. But what had followed was a blank, and he could not imagine where he was.

d.i.c.k remembered that he had a match safe in his pocket, and soon he made a light. By this he caught sight of a lantern in the brig and lit it. Then he bent over old Jerry, and saw that the sailor was still alive, but suffering from his treatment.

"He must have been attacked, too," murmured d.i.c.k. The bucket of water was at hand, And he took a drink and bathed Captain Jerry's forehead.

It was fully half an hour before the old sailor felt at all like himself. Both sat down to review the situation.

"The cowards!" said d.i.c.k. "What do you suppose they attacked us for?"

"Can't say as to that," replied old Jerry. "Perhaps Lesher wanted to show us he was master."

"He'll settle with me if I ever get out of this hole, Jerry. What place is this?"

"The lock-up of the _Golden Wave_. I think it used to be an oil room."

They gazed around them, and soon discovered the can of ship's biscuits and also the beans.

"They evidently meant to keep us prisoners for some time," said d.i.c.k.

"Hark, what is that?"

Both listened, and made out the sounds of distant thunder and heard the patter of rain on the deck.

"A storm is brewing," said old Jerry. "It sounds as if it was putty heavy, too."

They tried the door to the brig, but found it locked and bolted. In vain d.i.c.k kicked against it, and shoved with his shoulder. It refused to budge.