The Rover Boys in Southern Waters/Chapter 22
CHAPTER XXII
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING ON THE WATER
It was plainly to be seen that the first mate of the Dogstar was in no wise an agreeable person to meet, and the Rovers and Hans were sorry that he and the others had come aboard the steam yacht. The two sailors from the lumber schooner were also rough men and probably under the thumb of the mate.
"We can give you what is on board of the Mermaid," said Dick, a little stiffly. "I have not looked for liquor, so I can't say if there is any on the vessel or not."
"Captain, and don't know what's aboard!" exclaimed Sid Jeffers.
While he was speaking Sack Todd and Dan Baxter had been looking around the deck in the semi-darkness.
"Where are the rest of the people on this boat?" demanded the ex-counterfeiter.
"I don't see anybody," declared Dan Baxter. "Say, do you know what I think?" he cried suddenly. "I think these fellows are all alone!"
"Humph!" muttered Sack Todd. "If they are" He did not finish, but smiled quietly to himself.
"Where can we get something to eat?" demanded the first mate, after a rather awkward pause.
"In the galley or the cabin, as you please," said Dick. "But you will have to prepare it yourselves. We have no cook on board."
"Oh, that's it, eh? Well, Guirk can cook pretty good and he can do the trick for us, eh, Guirk?"
"Aye, aye!" answered one of the sailors. "Just show me the victuals an' the stove, an' I'll be after doing the rest in jig time. I'm hungry enough to eat 'most anything."
Dick led the way to the galley and the crowd from the small boat followed; one sailor stopping long enough to tie the rowboat astern.
"Nobody else on board, eh?" said Sid Jeffers, turning suddenly on Dick.
"No, not at present," answered the eldest Rover, boldly.
"Where are you bound?"
"For Tampa Bay."
"What vessel is this?"
"The steam yacht Mermaid."
"Did you charter her?"
"No, we found her," answered Dick, resolved to tell the plain truth.
"Found her?" came from the mate and also from Dan Baxter.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Out here in the gulf."
"Who was on board?" questioned Sack Todd
"Nobody."
"Nobody!" came from all the newcomers.
"Do you mean to say there wasn't a soul on this boat when you found her?" asked Dan Baxter, in high curiosity.
"That is the truth," said Tom. "She was drifting around, abandoned. We simply climbed on board and took possession."
"Out in the middle of the gulf?" asked the first mate, incredulously.
"Yes."
"Ve vos shipwrecked and vos mighty glad to got on board," said Hans.
"Oh, that's it!" cried Sid Jeffers and a gleam of intelligence shot from his eyes. "Mighty lucky you was, and no error! A ship like this is worth a pile of money. But let us have some thing to eat and to drink first and then we can talk matters over. A fellow can't pow-wow well on an empty stomach."
He spoke a few words in a low tone to his two men and they passed into the galley, where Hans and Sam showed them the food that was on board. In the meantime Sid Jeffers went on a hunt for liquor, and finding a bottle took a long drink, and then passed it over to Sack Todd and the others.
"Dick, I don't like this at all," whispered Tom, as soon as he could get the chance.
"Neither do I, Tom. I never expected to meet this crowd out here."
"There are six of them, while we number only four," went on the fun-loving Rover.
"Come with me," answered Dick, softly. "Sam, you take charge for a while," he added to his youngest brother.
Dick led the way to the main cabin of the Mermaid and to a case which was screwed fast to the wall. Inside were several pistols, and below were several boxes of ammunition.
"I reckon I understand you," said Tom. "We had better arm ourselves at once. There is no telling what those fellows will take it into their heads to do."
"Let us four arm ourselves, and then hide all the other pistols," said Dick. "Then, if they are not armed, we'll have them at something of a disadvantage."
They took four pistols,—one for Sam and another for Hans,—with the necessary cartridges, and then all of the remaining weapons were hidden at the bottom of one of the berths. This accomplished they went on deck again, and called Sam and Hans.
"They are having a big time, eating and drinking," said Sam, as he took the weapon handed to him. "I feel sure we will have trouble sooner or later. Pold, Todd, and Baxter won't want to run the risk of being arrested as soon as we land, and that mate and his men may side with them."
"That isn't the only thing," said Dick. "They know this steam yacht is valuable. The party to bring the vessel in to port will get big money. Didn't the mate speak of it? That shows how his mind was running."
Our friends talked the matter over for some time, but the conversation did not relieve their worry. They felt that there was serious trouble ahead of them and that it might break out at any moment.
"You know the old school whistle," said Dick. "If anybody gets into trouble whistle, and then the others can come to his aid." And so it was agreed.
Not knowing what else to do, Dick went to the pilot house followed by Hans, while Tom returned to the engine room and Sam to his job as fireman. Soon the engine was started up once more, and the steam yacht headed again for the western coast of Florida. It proved to be a clear night, and though there was no moon the stars shone brightly in the heavens.
A full hour went by, during which time the party from the Dogstar made themselves at home aboard the Mermaid. They feasted on the best the steam yacht afforded and several of the men drank a good deal of liquor.
"This is like falling into the softest kind of a snap," declared Sack Todd, after he and Gasper Pold had been talking in a corner for some time. "They don't own this steam yacht any more than we do."
"Right you are," answered the other.
"And if they calculate to take us to Tampa and hand us over to the officers of the law, why"
"Not much, Todd! I am not going to prison just yet."
"Can you trust Jeffers? You seem to knew him pretty well."
"I think I can. Jeffers is close—he likes money—and he sees big money in this steam yacht."
"That's an idea! Now what of the two sailors?"
"I think Guirk and the other fellow will do what the first mate tells them to—especially if he promises them good wages for the job."
"And what of Baxter? Remember, he used to go to school with the Rovers."
"I don't know what to make of him. Sometimes I think he is all right, and then again I don't feel like trusting him."
"That's my way of it, too. We don't want anybody we can't trust in this."
"Oh, he'll have to do as we say."
"Hello, what's up there?" shouted Sid Jeffers, from the bench where he was sitting, finishing some liquor before him.
"We want to talk certain things over," said Gasper Pold. "Come here."
In a cautious manner Sack Todd and Gasper Pold "sounded" the first mate of the ill-fated Dogstar. They said, if they could get control of the steam yacht, it might mean big money to all concerned.
"But what will you do with those Rover boys and the Dutch lad?" asked Jeffers.
"Oh, we can either cast them adrift somewhere or else put them off on a deserted shore," answered Sack Todd. "Then I can turn this steam yacht over to a friend of mine—an utter stranger to them—and he can get the salvage on the craft for us and we can divide up."
This plan to make money appealed strongly to the first mate, and he finally agreed to aid the others in gaining possession of the craft. Then the two sailors were instructed by Jeffers and they agreed to do as ordered, leaving the consequences on the mate's shoulders. Finally Dan Baxter was consulted.
"I don't care what you do, so long as we can get away from the officers of the law," said the bully. "But don't kill anybody—I won't stand for that," he added, showing that his hard heart had at least one soft spot in it.