this, Captain Langless now raised his voice, and presently several rough-looking sailors came rushing into the cabin.
"Leave the hold," cried the owner of the schooner to the Baxters. "I reckon I know how to manage 'em."
Arnold Baxter understood, and at once took his son by the arm. The pair had come down into the hold by means of a ladder lowered through the forward hatchway. Now they ran for the ladder, mounted, and drew it up after them. Then the hatch was closed down as before.
In the meantime Captain Langless whispered to one of his sailors, and the tar ran to one of the staterooms and returned with an old-fashioned seven-shooter, fully a foot and a half long.
"Now get back there," ordered the owner of the schooner. "I won't have any more fooling."
"If you shoot, so will I," said Tom quickly.
"And so will I," added Sam.
"We had better have no bloodshed," continued the captain, trying to control himself. "Behave yourselves, and you'll be treated all right. Kick up a muss, and it will go hard with you."
"What do you intend to do with us?" questioned Dick curiously.
"You'll have to ask your friend Arnold Baxter about that."
