The Rover Boys in Southern Waters/Chapter 26
CHAPTER XXVI
TURNING THE TABLES
"Be quiet, Baxter," said Dick, softly but firmly. "Don't you dare to make another sound."
"I—I thought you were—were—asleep," faltered the former bully of Putnam Hall. "That you"
"That he had drank the poisoned water, eh?"
"Ye—es."
"We did not. We took your advice and left it alone."
"Then when they brought you up out of the engine room"
"We were shamming, that's all. But I haven't got time to explain everything, Baxter. Where are the others?"
"On deck, or down in the engine room, I guess—all but the two beasts in there," and Baxter pointed to the overcome sailors.
"What brought you in here? Were you going to sleep?"
"Sleep! I—I couldn't sleep, Dick; honestly I couldn't!"
"Why?"
"Because I—I But what's the use, you won't believe me." And Dan Baxter hung his head for a moment.
"Maybe I will. Tell me why."
"I came away from them because I was sick of their doings, that's why. I—I am sick of all of it,—sick in body and in mind, too."
"You didn't want to see us doped, as they call it?"
"No! no!"
"And that is why you warned us and gave us that good water?"
"Yes."
"Dan, you're a little bit more of a real man than I thought you were. I thought you were willing to do anything against me and my brothers."
"Well, I was once, but now But what's the use of talking, you won't believe me. And why should you? I've been against you ever since we first met."
"That's the straight truth, Dan, and you've done some pretty mean and desperate things."
"I don't know why I did them, Dick honestly I don't. Lots of times I knew you and your brothers were right and I was wrong. But the Old Nick got in me and I—well, you know how I acted. Now I'm an outcast—nobody decent wants to have anything to do with me. Even my own father" Dan Baxter stopped short.
"See here, Dan, I haven't time to talk now," said Dick, after a short and painful pause. "I didn't expect this of you. The whole question just now is this, Are you going to fight or keep quiet?"
"Are you going to fight those others?"
"Yes, if it becomes necessary."
"I don't want to fight any more."
"Then will you keep quiet?"
"I will. But, Dick"
"Well?"
"If you capture those men, are you going to hand them over to the police?"
"Certainly."
"And hand me over, too?" And again Dan Baxter hung his head.
"Don't you deserve it?"
"I suppose so. And still I—er—I thought you might give me another chance. Oh, that's what I want, another chance! You know how .my father has reformed. I want to reform, too. I want to go away somewhere and begin all over again."
"Dan, come with me."
"Where to?"
"To the others. You can talk with them while I take a look on deck."
The former bully of Putnam Hall demurred but Dick insisted, and soon the pair had joined Sam, Tom, and Hans.
"Talk to him," said Dick. "I'll be back soon," and then he left and made his way up the companionway to the deck of the steam yacht.
His heart was in a strange tumult That Dan Baxter should want to reform was a surprise of which he had never dreamed. Could the former bully be playing a part?
"He's sly enough," he reasoned. "And yet his eyes had a look in them that I never saw before. He looked like a worried wild animal, that doesn't know how to turn or what to do. He's down here all alone among strangers, and evidently he has found out that Sack Todd and the rest aren't his sort. Well, if he wants to reform I shan't put anything in his way. But I am not going to give him too much rope—just yet"
Having gained the deck of the vessel, Dick looked around cautiously. It was a dark night, the stars being hidden by clouds. He crept along slowly.
"Well, you'll have to give me a pointer or two about the engine," Dick heard Sack Todd exclaim. "I thought I knew how to run it, but I reckon I was mistaken."
"Oh, why not let that go just now," growled the mate of the Dogstar in return. "We've got to make sure of those boys first, and get some sleep, too."
"It won't take but a few minutes to explain about the engine," said Gasper Pold. "I ran one once for six weeks,"
"Seems to me you have dabbled in a little bit of everything," observed Sack Todd.
"So I have."
The three men were near the pilot house, but came away and started for the hatchway leading down into the engine room. They had to pass close to where Dick was crouching and the eldest Rover hardly dared to breathe, so fearful was he of discovery.
Presently Dick saw the three men go down the iron ladder, one after another. As they did this, a sudden idea came into his head.
"I'll do it!" he told himself, and sneaked forward with the silence and quickness of a cat. The hatch still lay beside the opening, with the hooks that had been used to fasten it down. It was heavy and Dick wondered if he could move and fasten it quick enough.
"I wish Sam or Tom was here to help me," he thought.
As he started to raise the hatch a sudden puff of wind made the mast creak loudly. This alarmed the men below and Sack Todd started up the ladder.
"We ought to have somebody on guard," he said, so loudly that Dick heard him. "I don't trust that Baxter very much."
"All right," answered Gasper Pold. "You go to the cabin, and"
He broke off short as a cry came from Sack Todd. The ex-counterfeiter had caught sight of Dick as the latter was raising the hatch to drop it in place.
"Hi!" yelled Sack Todd, and then let out a scream as the hatch hit him on the head.
"Down you go!" answered Dick and leaped on top of the hatch to force it into place. One of Sack Todd's fingers was caught and pinched and he let out another yell. But he kept his footing on the iron ladder and thus held the hatch up several inches.
"What's up?" came from Sid Jeffers.
"They are trying to shut the hatch! Help me!"
"What!" roared Gasper Pold, and sprang up beside the ex-counterfeiter.
"Tom! Sam! Hans!" yelled Dick, at the top of his lungs. "Help! Quick!"
He continued to call out and at the same time did all in his power to force the hatch into place. He was sprawled on top, and no sooner did he get one end down than the other bobbed up. Then he heard Gasper Pold cry out:
"Look out! I am going to fire!"
"Don't hit me," cautioned Sack Todd.
"If you fire, so will I," answered Dick, "and you'll get the worst of it."
"Hang the luck! We didn't disarm them!" muttered Pold.
By this time Tom was coming up on deck, followed by Sam. Hans was told to remain behind, to keep his eyes on Dan Baxter.
As soon as Sam and Tom saw the situation they leaped to Dick's assistance. Tom saw Sack Todd's shoulder under the hatch and gave it a vigorous kick. This caused the man to lose his balance on the iron ladder and he went down a step. At the same time Gasper Pold fired.
"Oh, I am hit!" groaned the ex-counterfeiter, and fell in a heap on the head of Sid Jeffers. Then the hatch came into place with a thud and in a twinkling the three Rovers secured it.
"We have them! We have them!" cried Sam, in delight. "Good for you, Dick! That was a clever move."
"Run down and make certain that other door is fast," said Dick, and away went Sam with Tom at his heels. They came back in less than two minutes.
"It's fast," said Tom. "We've got them in as tight a box as they had us."