CHAPTER XXXIII.
GAGE TAKES A TURN.
Gage was tempted to shout for help, but the muzzle of the cold weaponthat touched his forehead froze his tongue to silence.
"Hello! Ahoy, there, cap'n! Where are you?"
Ben Bowsprit was growing impatient and wondering why Leslie did notanswer. It had occurred to the old tar that it was possible the boy haddeserted them.
The voice of Black Tom was heard to say:
"He oughter be right near by us, Ben. 'Smighty strange dat feller don'seem to answer nohow."
"Shiver my timbers!" roared Bowsprit. "We'll pull back, my hearty, andtake a look for our gay cap'n."
They were coming back, and Gage was still unbound, although a captive inFrank Merriwell's clutch.
Frank thought swiftly. There would not be enough time to bind Gage andget away. Something must be done to prevent the two sailors from turningabout and rowing back.
"Gage," whispered Frank, swiftly, "you must answer them. Say, it's allright, boys; I'm coming right along."
Gage hesitated, the longing to shout for help again grasping him.
"Do as I told you!" hissed Frank, and the muzzle of the revolver seemedto bore into Gage's forehead, as if the bullet longed to seek his brain.
With a mental curse on the black luck, Gage uttered the words as hiscaptor had ordered, although they seemed to come chokingly from histhroat.
"Well, what are ye doing back there so long?" demanded Bowsprit.
"Tell them you're making love," chuckled Frank, who seemed to be hugelyenjoying the affair, to the unspeakable rage of his captive. "Ask themif they don't intend to give you a show at all."
Gage did as directed, causing Bowsprit to laugh hoarsely.
"Oh, you're a sly dog!" cackled the old sailor, in the darkness. "Butthis is a poor time to spend in love-makin', cap'n. Wait till we gitsettled down ag'in. Tom an' me'll agree not ter watch ye."
"Say, all right; go on," instructed Frank, and Gage did so.
In a few seconds, the sound of oars were heard, indicating that thesailors were obeying instructions.
At that moment, while Frank was listening to this sound, Gage believedhis opportunity had arrived, and, being utterly desperate, the youngrascal knocked aside Frank's hand, gave a wild shout, leaped to hisfeet, and plunged headlong into the water.
It was done swiftly--too swiftly for Frank to shoot, if he had intendedsuch a thing. But Frank Merriwell had no desire to shoot his formerschoolmate, even though Leslie Gage had become a hardened and desperatecriminal, and so, having broken away, the youthful leader of themutineers stood in no danger of being harmed.
Frank and Socato had been close at hand when Gage placed Elsie Bellwoodin the boat, and barely was the girl left alone before she was removedby the Seminole, in whose arms she lay limp and unconscious, havingswooned at last.
Then it was that a desire to capture Gage and a wild longing to give thefellow a paralyzing surprise seized upon Frank.
"Socato," he whispered, "I am going to trust you to take that girl tothe hut where my friends are to be found. Remember that you shall bewell paid; I give you my word of honor as to that. See that no harmcomes to her."
"All right," returned the Indian. "What white boy mean to do?"
"Have a little racket on my own hook," was the reply. "If I lose mybearings and can't find the hut, I will fire five shots into the airfrom my revolver. Have one of my friends answer in a similar manner."
"It shall be done."
"Give me that coat. All right. Now skip with the girl."
Frank took the coat; stepped into the boat, watched till Gage wasapproaching, and then muffled his head, sitting in the place where Elsiehad been left.
In the meantime, the Seminole was bearing the girl swiftly and silentlyaway.
Thus it came about that Gage made love to Frank Merriwell, instead ofthe fair captive he believed was muffled by the coat.
When Gage plunged into the water, the small boat rocked and came nearupsetting, but did not go over.
But the fellow's cry and the splash had brought the sailors to a halt,and they soon called back:
"What's the matter? What has happened?"
"I rather fancy it will be a good plan to make myself scarce in thisparticular locality," muttered Frank.
Gage swam under water for some distance, and then, coming to thesurface, he shouted to the men in the leading boat:
"Bowsprit, Black Tom, help! Turn back quickly! There is an enemy here,but he is alone! We can capture him, boys! Be lively about it!"
"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Frank, merrily. "You will have a fine timecatching me. You have given me great amusement, Gage. I assure you thatI have been highly entertained by your company, and hereafter I shallconsider you an adept in the gentle art of making love."
"Laugh!" fiercely shouted Gage from the water. "You are having your turnnow, but mine will soon come!"
"I have heard you talk like that before, Gage. It does not seem that youhave yet learned 'the way of the transgressor is hard.'"
"You'll learn better than to meddle with me! I have longed to meet youagain, Frank Merriwell, and I tell you now that one of us will not leavethis swamp alive!"
"This is not the first time you have made a promise that you were notable to keep. Before I leave you, I have this to say: If CaptainBellwood is harmed in the least, if he is not set at liberty with verylittle delay, I'll never rest till you have received the punishmentwhich your crimes merit."
Frank could hear the sailors rowing back, and he felt for the oars,having no doubt that he would be able to escape them with ease, aided bythe darkness.
Then came a surprise for him.
When Gage stopped rowing to make love to the supposed Elsie he had leftthe oars in the rowlocks, drawing them in and laying them across theboat. In the violent rocking of the boat when the fellow leapedoverboard one of the oars had been lost.
Frank was left with a single oar, and his enemies were bearing down uponhim with great swiftness.
"I wonder if there's a chance to scull this boat?" he coolly speculated,as he hastened to the stern and made a swift examination.
To his satisfaction and relief, he found there was, and the remainingoar was quickly put to use.
Even then Frank felt confident that he would be able to avoid hisenemies in the darkness that lay deep and dense upon the great swamp. Hecould hear them rowing, and he managed to skull the light boat alongwithout making much noise.
He did not mind that Gage had escaped; in fact, he was relieved to getrid of the fellow, although it had been his intention to hold him ashostage for Captain Bellwood.
It was the desire for adventure that had led Frank into the affair, and,now that it was over so far as surprising Gage was concerned, he wassatisfied to get away quietly.
He could hear the sailors calling Gage, who answered from the water, andhe knew they would stop to pick the fellow up, which would give our heroa still better show of getting away.
All this took place, and Frank was so well hidden by the darkness thatthere was not one chance in a thousand of being troubled by theruffianly crew when another astonishing thing happened.
From a point amid the tall rushes a powerful white light gleamed out andfell full and fair upon the small boat and its single occupant,revealing Frank as plainly as if by the glare of midday sunlight.
"Great Scott!" gasped the astonished boy. "What is the meaning of this,I would like to know?"
He was so astonished that he nearly dropped the oar.
The sailors were astonished, but the light showed them distinctly, andGage snarled.
"Give me your pistol, Bowsprit! Be lively!"
He snatched the weapon from the old tar's hand, took hasty aim, andfired.
Frank Merriwell was seen to fling up his arms and fall heavily into thebottom of the boat!
Frank Merriwell Down South Page 33