CHAPTER IX
THE BOYS MAKE AN ENEMY
Jack with his prisoner returned aboard the Cumberland, where thelad turned the German commander over to Captain Marcus.
"Shall I go back to the town, sir?" he asked, as the commandersignified that he might leave the cabin.
"If you like," was the reply.
"Have you any commands regarding the prisoners, sir? Or as tothe manner of guarding the place against attack?"
"Yes; you may present my respects to Mr. Chadwick, and tell himthat you two are in joint authority until morning, when I shalldo myself the pleasure of paying you a visit. You will takewhatever precautions necessary to guard against an attack fromany of the enemy who may move against you from Boak."
"Very well, sir," replied Jack, saluting.
"Boak, as you probably are aware," continued the commander, "isanother small German fortress further up the river. I do notanticipate an attack, but it is best to be prepared. You mayalso say to Mr. Chadwick that I am well pleased with his work,and with yours."
"Thank you, sir," returned the lad, and saluting again, he turnedand left the cabin.
He was over the side of the Cumberland in a few moments, and wassoon being rowed swiftly back toward Duala.
Several hundred yards from the little landing, his cars caughtthe sound of a great hubbub. There were cries and shouts andgeneral confusion.
Rapidly the lad covered the intervening distance, leaped to theground and sprinted in the direction in which he could see a knotof wildly gesticulating figures.
"Sounds to me like Frank was in trouble of some kind," he pantedto himself as he ran along, for at that moment he had detectedthe sound of his friend's voice raised in anger.
Jack dashed up to the knot of men, all of whom lie now perceivedwere British sailors, and as he saw his friend standing calmly inthe center of them unhurt, he paused on the edge of the crowd towatch developments.
With a flush on his face, plainly evident in the red glow of acamp fire, Frank stood facing a man. The latter, in height,topped the lad by a good three inches, and even from where hestood Jack could see that the man's fingers twitched nervously athis side.
"I am in command here until further notice," Frank was saying,"and while I am, our captives will receive such treatment as isdue prisoners of war. Do you understand that, Mr. Stanley?"
"Bah!" cried the other, whom Jack now recognized as an officeraboard the Cumberland; "by seniority I am your superior officer.I am not answerable to you for my actions."
"Aren't you?" exclaimed Frank, taking a threatening step forward,a peculiar glint in his eyes. "We'll see about that later. Inthe meantime understand that I am in command here and that what Isay goes. Molest another of the prisoners and you shall answerto me."
"Is that so?" sneered Stanley. "And what do you think you'll doabout it?"
"Try and see," said Frank grimly.
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" cried Stanley. "I'll showyou!"
With these words, he took a sudden step backward, and Jack wasable to see the cause of all the trouble. Crouching between twosailors was an old native, black of color and grizzled of hair.Stanley doubled his fist, and before a hand could be raised tostop him, drove it between the old native's eyes.
Jack sprang forward with a cry, but Frank forestalled him. Heleaped upon the perpetrator of this inhuman act, and with a quickblow knocked him to the ground.
Stanley rose with blood on his lips and evil in his eye. Quicklyhe stepped back a pace, and a revolver glinted in his hand.
"You--you--" he stuttered.
At that moment the revolver was twisted violently from his grasp,and, turning, Stanley looked into Jack's angry countenance.
"What's the meaning of this?" Jack demanded. "Would you become amurderer?"
"He struck me," shouted Stanley angrily, "and he shall give mesatisfaction, and so shall you, you meddling upstart."
"So?" said Jack quietly. "What kind of satisfaction do you want?I'm perfectly ready to accommodate you."
Stanley took one look at Jack's stalwart figure, fully his ownheight and equally as broad. Evidently he decided he carednothing for a tussle with this opponent.
"I have nothing to say to you," he said. "But this fellow,"pointing to Frank, "struck me and I demand satisfaction."
"Well," said Frank, interrupting. "You shall have it. Pull offyour coat."
"I'm not a common bruiser," sneered Stanley. "I will fight youwith revolvers at twenty paces."
"Enough of this," broke in Jack. "I will permit no duel."
"I do not want to kill you," said Frank.
"So!" exclaimed the enraged officer, "a coward, eh?"
Frank stepped quickly forward, an angry gleam in his eye.
"Enough," he said. "I'll fight you."
Again Jack started to protest, but Frank waved him aside andturned to the men gathered about.
"Can I depend upon you men not to let this go any further?" heasked.
"You can, sir," they answered in chorus.
"All right, then," said Frank. "Get ready, sir."
One sailor volunteered to act as second for Stanley and Jackstepped to Frank's side. Then the two seconds met and decidedthe details of the duel. The principals were to be allowed oneshot each. This was to be all, whether either man was hit ornot.
Before accepting the revolver from the hand of his second,Stanley quickly drew his own revolver, and taking aim at a littleknob on a tree some fifty feet distant, fired quickly. Thebullet splintered the bark on the tree and the pieces flew highin the air.
"Half an inch away!" called a sailor who stood near the tree.
Stanley turned to Frank with a sneering smile on his face.
"Say your prayers," he taunted. "They will be your last."
Frank smiled grimly.
"I heard a story once," he replied quietly, "about a man whocould hit a dime every shot at a hundred yards. But when hefired with a loaded pistol pointed at him he didn't come off withsuch a good record."
The principals now stood back to back. Each was to take twentypaces forward--Jack had refused to make the distance any closer--turnand lire when ready.
"Ready, go!" came Jack's voice, and slowly the two started awayfrom each other.
"Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen--" counted Frank, and at thatinstant there was a sound of a shot and a bullet whistled overhis head, grazing the scalp.
Stanley, nervous because of the lad's coolness, had fired at thecount of nineteen.
"Twenty!" said Frank without a sign of nervousness in his voice.He turned slowly, and aimed his revolver at the ground in frontof him.
Very slowly he raised the barrel of his weapon until it pointedat the knees of his now shaking antagonist, then to his belt, tohis chest, and finally to his head.
Beads of perspiration stood out on Stanley's forehead. Then,with a quick movement, Frank raised the muzzle of his weaponstill higher, and fired over Stanley's head.
Then he calmly replaced the weapon in his pocket and walked backto where Jack was standing.
Having thus escaped what appeared almost certain death, Stanleybecame bold again. Evidently he had not realized that Frank hadmissed purposely.
"I demand another shot," he cried angrily.
"There will be no more duel so far as I am concerned," said Frankquietly.
Jack walked angrily up to Stanley.
"He spared your life," he said heatedly.
"Bah!" replied Stanley. "He missed cleanly, and he's afraid totry again."
Frank walked quickly over to his late opponent.
"You fool!" he said quietly. "Look here!"
Quickly he whipped his revolver out, and without taking aim,fired twice in rapid succession.
Although three times as far away as Stanley had been when he gavehis exhibition of skill, the little knot on the tree leaped intothe air, and as it fell, the second bullet caught it in midairand splintered it into little pieces.
"I could have killed you with ease," said Frank calmly, andwalking away, he picked up his coat and put it on.
"I--I didn't know he could shoot like that!" sputtered Stanleyto Jack.
"That's not so very good--for him," said Jack.
"Why, once--"
"Never mind," interrupted Midshipman Stanley, backing hurriedlyaway, "I'll take your word for it. But, remember, I am notthrough with either of you yet. My time will come, and when itdoes--"
He broke off abruptly, an evil sneer in his voice, and walkedquickly away.
Now the sailors surrounded Frank and gave him three rousingBritish cheers.
"You're all right, Frank!" they called, some of them slapping himfamiliarly on the back.
Frank waved them laughingly aside, and turned to Jack.
"Any orders from Captain Marcus?" he asked, as though nothing outof the ordinary had happened.
"Lead the way to your excellency's quarters, and I'll tell you,"replied Jack with a smile.
Frank led the way.
Boy Allies under Two Flags Page 9