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, Dickson, and Fearwell. You don’t know anything about them?”
“No,” said Dan Baxter.
“This news about Dick 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 Dick and old Jerry, and it now looked as if he must suffer for it.
“Well—er—I don’t mind telling you that Dick 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 Dick 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 Dick 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 passed 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.
Dick 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 Dick. 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 Dick. “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 Dick. “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 Dick kicked against it, and shoved with his shoulder. It refused to budge.
“This looks as if we’d have to stay here—at least for the present,” said Dick, with a sigh. “I must say I don’t like the prospect.”
“How long do ye calculate we’ve been here, lad?”
“There is no telling, unless by my watch.” But when he looked at the timepiece, he found that it had stopped.
They ate some of the biscuits and drank some water and rested for a while longer. Outside the wind blew furiously and they heard the rain and the waves dash in all directions. Then some water came trickling in slowly, at one corner.
“It seems to me as if the wreck was shifting,” cried Dick presently.
“It won’t shift very far in this bed o’ sand, lad. But she may break up and go to pieces,” added old Jerry.
“If she goes down, we’ll be drowned like rats in a trap,” said Dick. “We must get out somehow.”
They talked the matter over and began a systematic examination of their prison. The four walls were solid and so was the ceiling above them.
“The flooring has a couple of loose planks in it,” announced. Dick. “If we can get them up, where will the opening lead to?”
“The forward hold, lad, and that is now half full of sand and water.”
“Never mind, I’m going to get the planks up if I can.”
With his head still aching Dick set to work and old Jerry helped him. It was no easy matter to shift the heavy planking, but after a while they got one plank up and then used this as a pry to bring up the second.
A dark hole was revealed, covered at the bottom with water. Then Dick took the lantern and let himself down cautiously.
“The water is only about a foot deep,” he announced. “I’m going to make a search around with the lantern.”
“Hold on, I’ll go with ye,” cried old Jerry, and came down with a splash.
With great caution they moved around the hold, wading through sand and water, and climbing over boxes, barrels, and crates.
“What a mixture of cargo,” said Dick. “And what a pity so much of it is going to ruin,” and he pointed to some valuable mining machinery which was rusting in the salt water.
Fortunately old Jerry had been in the hold before the Golden Wave was wrecked, so he knew something of the surroundings. He led the way to some boxes directly beneath the forward hatch.
“I don’t reckon the hatch is fastened down,” he said. “An’ if it aint we may be able to shove it up by standing one box on top of another.”
This was tried, and after much difficulty the hatch was thrown to one side, and they crawled to the deck of the schooner.
“I’m glad I am out of that!” ejaculated Dick. “But how it’s raining! Let us go to the cabin for shelter.”
Once in the cabin they proceeded to make themselves as comfortable as the state of affairs permitted.
“With no boat it is going to be no easy matter getting back to the house,” said Dick. He was much worried concerning the girls.
“We’ll have to stay here until the storm is over,” said old Jerry.
But Dick demurred and at last it was decided to try gettin
g to the house by journeying from one island to the next.
This was a dangerous proceeding, as we already know. They had to build themselves a small raft and carry this from one crossing to the next.
By the time the last crossing was made the storm was clearing and the day was drawing to a close.
“We had best not show ourselves until we are sure how the land lays,” said Dick, as they came up the beach.
Captain Jerry thought this good advice and they proceeded with caution until they came in sight of the house. Then Dick set up a shout.
“Tom, Sam, and Captain Blossom are back! Hurrah!”
“They look as if they were having a row with Baxter and the mate,” came from old Jerry.
A row certainly was in progress, and as they came closer they heard Tom talking.
“Yes, Lesher, I want to know all about this quarrel with my brother Dick. I am sure he was not in the wrong.”
“See here, I know my own business,” the mate growled. “You shut up and leave me alone.”
“We won’t leave you alone,” came from Sam. “We want to know the truth.”
“Yes, tell us the truth, Lesher,” said Captain Blossom sternly.
“All against me, aint you?”
“We want the truth,” answered Tom.
“Well, if you must have it, all right. He got cheeky and hit me on the head with an oar. Then I hit back and knocked him down. Then he got mad and so did Jerry Tolman, and both refused to come back in the boat with Baxter and me.”
“I’ll wager you started to boss things,” said Sam. “Dick doesn’t raise a row without just cause.”
“Good for Sam,” murmured Dick.
“Your brother was entirely to blame,” grunted the mate. He was still far from sober.
“Jack Lesher, you tell what is not so,” said Dick loudly, and joined the group, followed by old Jerry.
Had a bombshell exploded, Lesher and Baxter would not have been more astonished. Then stared at the newcomers as if they were ghosts.
“How—er—how did you get here?” stammered Baxter, while the mate continued to stare, in open-mouthed astonishment.
“That is our affair,” responded Dick. He strode up to Lesher. “You miserable villain. How dare you say that I was to blame when you attacked me without warning? Take that for what you did.”
And hauling off, Dick 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 Dick 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 Dick.
“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. “Dick Rover, tell us what happened on the wreck.”
Dick 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 Dick 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 Dick. “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 Dick. “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 Dick 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 glass.
“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 Dick. “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 Dick 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 mass of bushes a hundred feet away.
To get to the bushes the bo
ys 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?”
No answer came back, and much alarmed, Tom got on his knees and tried to look into the opening. At first he could see nothing, but when his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, he made out the form of his brother lying on some broken brushwood which the storm had swept into the opening.
How to get down to Sam was a problem, and Tom was revolving the matter in his mind when Sam let out another cry.
“Are you hurt, Sam?”
“N—not much, but m—my wind was kno—knocked out of me.”
“Can you climb up to the top?”
“Hardly, Tom, the sides are very steep, and—yes, there is a regular cave down here,” went on Sam.
“A cave?”
“Yes.”
“Where does it lead to?”
“I don’t know. It’s on the south side of the opening.”
Tom’s curiosity was aroused, and bringing forth the new rope they had brought along for hoisting the flag, he tied one end to a tree and lowered himself to his brother’s side. By this time Sam was on his feet and inspecting some scratches his left hand had received.
“Where is the cave, Sam?”
“There,” and the youngest Rover pointed it out.
The opening was about two feet above the bottom of the gully. It was perhaps four feet in diameter, but appeared to grow larger within.
“If we had a torch we might investigate a bit,” said Tom. “I’d like to know if the cave amounts to anything.”
“It might have a pirate’s treasure in it, eh?”
“Not likely, Sam. I don’t believe it has ever been used. But if it was of good size it might prove handy for us at some time or another.”
They looked around, and finding some dry brushwood made two rude torches. With these flaring brightly they entered the opening, the flooring of which was of rock and tolerably smooth.
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