The Rover Boys on Land and Sea Part 36

And hauling off, d.i.c.k hit the mate a fair and square blow in the nose which sent Lesher flat on his back.

CHAPTER XXV.

TRYING TO COME TO TERMS

As the mate went down the girls gave a scream, and even Tom and Sam looked at d.i.c.k in wonder. Never had any of them seen the eldest Rover so aroused.

"My lad, that was a hard blow," observed Captain Blossom, as Jack Lesher lay where he had fallen.

"Not half as hard as the blow he struck me," answered d.i.c.k.

"Not hard as hard as thet chap hit me," put in old Jerry, and turning quickly he flew at Dan Baxter and bore him to the ground.

"Hi! hi! let up!" roared the bully. "Let up! Take him off!"

"I'll let up, when I'm done," panted old Jerry, and he gave him a thump in the cheek, another in the eye, and a third on the chin.

"Now, then, Dan Baxter, see how you like that!" And then the old sailor arose once more.

"I'll--I'll--" began Baxter, in a terrible rage. "I'll--"

"Shut up, Baxter, until we hear what they have to say," put in Tom.

"If you are not quiet, I'll give you a thumping on general principles."

"No more fighting," commanded Captain Blossom. "d.i.c.k Rover, tell us what happened on the wreck."

d.i.c.k told his story, and then all listened to what old Jerry had to say. In the meantime Jack Lesher arose unsteadily to his feet.

"Where is that boy?" he roared. "I'll fix him." And then he made a movement as if to draw his pistol, but discovered that the weapon had been taken from him.

"Who took my pistol?" he demanded.

"Be quiet, everybody," said Captain Blossom. "Lesher, there will be no shootng here, unless I have to make an example of somebody. You had no business to attack d.i.c.k Rover on the wreck, nor attack Jerry Tolman, either. It was a mean thing to do. If we are to remain on these islands together, we ought to keep friendly."

"I know my business," growled the mate.

"And I know mine, Lesher. Please remember that I am captain."

"And I am first mate."

"Your being first mate doesn't count with us," came from Tom.

"Not for a minute," added d.i.c.k. "If I had my own way, I'd pitch you out of this camp in double-quick order."

"And Dan Baxter with him," put in Sam.

"Why cannot both of them go and live with the other sailors who were saved?" asked Dora. "They could have their share of what is on the wreck."

"I see you don't care for their company," said Captain Blossom. "Well, I can't say that I blame you, miss. After this they shall keep their distance. They can either live on the wreck or build themselves their own house, and so can the other sailors who were saved."

"You are not my master!" cried Dan Baxter. "On these islands all are equal."

"That may be so, but you have got to let the others alone," answered d.i.c.k. "If you don't--"

"What will you do?"

"We'll punish you in a way you least expect."

After this there was a general talk which almost ended in another all-around row. But the Rovers and Captain Blossom were firm, and at last Dan Baxter and Jack Lesher said no more.

"We ought to remain on guard after this," said d.i.c.k to Tom, when they and Sam were alone. "I don't want to trust our enemies for a single moment."

And it was agreed that one or another should watch constantly.

The storm cleared away as suddenly as it had come, and the next morning the sun shone as brightly as ever.

When Baxter and Lesher came to breakfast both were sullen. The mate had wanted more liquor, but Captain Blossom had refused to give him more than a single gla.s.s.

"You had better return to the others at once," said the captain.

"Tell them they can come over here, and then we will make arrangements as to how all hands shall live until some ship comes to take us away."

The Rovers suspected that Dan Baxter wished to remain behind, leaving the mate to go after the others. But Lesher would not go alone, and off they started at noon, each carrying a good supply of food with him, and also a pistol and some ammunition.

"I wish they weren't coming back," murmured Dora.

"I wish the same, Dora," said d.i.c.k. "But it can't be helped and we must make the best of it."

There was a general air of relief when the two had departed. Later on each told his or her story once more, and a general conversation ensued regarding the future.

"Lesher is not the man I thought he would, be," said Captain Blossom.

"If he insists on getting drunk he will surely cause us a good deal of trouble, and if I try to keep the liquor from him he will get ugly. More than that, he has several sailors with him who are old friends, and they like their liquor just as much as he does."

It was seen that the flag of distress was down, as already mentioned, and after Baxter and Lesher had departed, Tom and d.i.c.k set off to put the flag up once more.

The way was by no means easy, for the storm had washed the dirt and stones in all directions and the path was strewn with broken branches and torn-up bushes. On the way they picked up hard a dozen dead birds and also saw three dead monkeys.

When the spot where the flag had been was reached they found the tree still standing. The halyard of the flag had snapped and the colors lay in a ma.s.s of bushes a hundred feet away.

To get to the bushes the boys had to leap over something of a gully.

Tom took the leap in safety, but Sam went down out of sight.

"Help! help!" cried the youngest Rover.

Tom looked back, to see Sam's fingers clutching at some brushwood which grew at the edge of the gully. Then the hand disappeared and he heard a crashing far below, for though the gully was not wide, it was very deep.

"Sam! Sam!" he called. "Are you hurt?"