THE ROVER BOYS Boxed Set: 26 Illustrated Adventure Novels - Stratemeyer Edward

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in sole command, don't you?"

      "I am not going to allow you to take away all the firearms that are here, Mr. Lesher."

      "We'll see."

      The mate went into the pantry and secured another glass of liquor. Then he ordered old Jerry to take the bundle of clothing and put it in the rowboat.

      "I've got some money on this schooner," he said. "I want to see if that's safe, or if you have stolen it."

      "We haven't touched any money," answered Dick, his face flushing. "It would be of no use to us on these islands."

      "You come with me while I take a look," said Lesher.

      Behind his back he waved his hand for Baxter to follow. All three went below again, and into a stateroom the mate had occupied.

      "The money was in that chest," said the mate. He threw open the lid. "It's gone!" he cried.

      Interested for the moment, Dick bent forward to look in the chest. As he did so, Lesher suddenly hit him a savage blow over the head with the butt of a pistol. The blow was a heavy one, and Dick fell like a log to the floor.

      "Oh!" came from Baxter. "Have you killed him?"

      "No; only knocked the senses out of him," answered Lesher, bending over his victim.

      "What did you do it for?"

      "To teach him a lesson. He shan't boss me, Baxter. Come, help me put him in the brig, and be quick, before Jerry comes back."

      They lifted up the insensible form and made their way to where the ship's brig was located, a dirty closet once used for oil and lanterns. Dick was thrown on the floor, and the mate shut' the door on him and locked it.

      "Now he can stay there for a day or two," he snarled. "Reckon it will teach him a lesson."

      "What will you do with the sailor?"

      Before Lesher could answer old Jerry appeared.

      "Where is Dick Rover?" he asked.

      "None of your business," growled Jack Lesher. "See here, Tolman, are you going to obey me after this?"

      "I want to know where Dick is?" said old Jerry stubbornly.

      "I put him in the brig to cool off. He's too hot-headed for his own good."

      "You had no right to lock him up, Mr. Lesher. You must let him out at once."

      "Git out of here, quick!" roared Lesher. "On deck, or I'll flog you well!"

      "Ye won't tech me!" cried Jerry, his temper rising. "I aint under orders no more, mind that. Now you let him out, or I'll do it. You was a fool to lock him up in the first place."

      He moved toward the brig, but Lesher caught him by the arm.

      "Let's teach this chap a lesson, too!" came from Baxter, and, like a flash, he struck old Jerry in the back of the head. The first blow was followed by a second, and down went the tar, the blood oozing from one of his wounds.

      "Don't hit him again!" cried Lesher hastily. "He's out already."

      Baxter grew pale, thinking he had gone too far. But he soon discovered that Jerry still breathed, and then he felt relieved.

      It was decided by the pair that they should place old Jerry beside Dick in the brig, and this was quickly done. Then they put into the prison a bucket of drinking water and a can of ship's biscuits, and another of baked beans.

      "They won't starve on that," said Lesher. "And when they get out they'll understand that I am as much of a master here as anybody."

      "It serves Dick Rover right," said Baxter. "He's the kind that ought to be kept under foot all the time."

      CHAPTER XXII

       A HEAVY TROPICAL STORM

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      "THOSE girls will ask some awkward questions, I reckon," said Jack Lesher, as the two prepared to leave the wreck.

      "We had better not say too much," answered Baxter.

      They were soon over the side and in the rowboat, which contained the bundle of clothing and a number of other articles. Then an idea struck the mate.

      "Wait; I am going back," he said, and disappeared on the deck one more.

      Dan Baxter imagined that Lesher had gone for more liquor. But he was mistaken. When the mate reappeared, he carried a box containing half a dozen pistols, two guns, and a quantity of ammunition.

      "I am going to hide this in the woods on the other side of this island," he said. "The firearms may come in handy before long."

      "A good idea," replied Baxter, and helped him place the case in a desirable spot, under some rocks, where the rain could not touch it.

      "We are going to have a storm before long," said the mate, as they started to row back to the camp. "And if it is a heavy one we'll have to wait till it clears off before we rejoin the rest of our crowd."

      The sky was growing dark, and by the time the beach in front of the house was gained the rain was falling.

      "Where are Dick and old Jerry?" asked Dora in quick alarm. She had noted long before that only Baxter and the mate were in the rowboat.

      "They stayed behind on the wreck," answered Lesher. "Come, help get the bundles out of the wet," he added to his companion.

      "Why did they stay?" asked Nellie.

      "Don't ask me," growled Lesher.

      He and Baxter took the bundle to the house and dumped it on the floor of the living room. Then they brought in the other things from the boat. By this time it was raining in torrents, and from a distance came the rumble of thunder and occasionally the faint flash of lightning.

      Not wishing to remain out in the storm, the three girls came into the house. Dora was very much disturbed, and Nellie and Grace were also anxious.

      "It is queer that Dick and old Jerry remained behind," whispered Dora to her cousins. "They were so anxious to protect us before."

      "I cannot understand it, Dora," returned Nellie.

      "There has been foul play somewhere," came from Grace.

      "Oh, do you think —— " Dora could not finish.

      "See here!" burst in the voice of Jack Lesher. "We want some dinner. Don't be all day getting it for us."

      The liquor he had imbibed was beginning to tell upon him. He looked ugly, and the girls trembled before him.

      "Dinner will be ready in a quarter of an hour," said Grace, who had been doing the cooking.

      "All right." Lesher turned to the bully: "Baxter, join me in a glass of rum for luck."

      "Thanks, I will," answered Dan Baxter, who did not particularly want the liquor, but did not dream of offending the mate.

      Lesher produced a bottle he had brought away from the wreck, prepared two glasses of rum, and drank with great relish. Then he threw himself into a chair at the rude dining-table.

      "I am the master here, and I want everybody to know it!" he exclaimed, banging his fist savagely.

      "There is dinner," said Grace, and brought it in. "You can help yourself." And she went into the next room to join Nellie and Dora.

      "Aint going to wait on us, eh?" grumbled Lesher, with a hiccough. "All right, my fine ladies. But I am master, don't you forget that!"

      He began to eat leisurely, while Dan Baxter began to bolt his food. In the meantime the sky grew darker and the flashes of lightning more vivid. The girls were greatly frightened, and huddled together, while tears stood on Grace's cheeks.

      "Oh, if only somebody was with us,"

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