CHAPTER XIII.
DEFIANCE.
It was some moments before the little party could discuss the apparentlyserious turn which affairs had taken, for Harry remained as he hadfallen, and all their thoughts were centered on restoring him toconsciousness.
A vigorous application of cold water soon had the desired effect,however, and in ten minutes after the self-invited guests went on deckhe was apparently as well as ever, save for a big red lump under hisleft ear.
"Do you feel all right, now?" Bob asked as the boy recovered from thebewilderment caused by the blow and began hunting for the coffee-pot,which had rolled under one of the lockers.
"My ear aches pretty bad; but the rest of my body is sound enough,though it's hard to tell how long we fellers will be able to keep on ourfeet if those starving sailors stay aboard."
"They'll go ashore mighty quick if this kind of work is kept up. Tell uswhat you did that started 'em?"
"I don't know anything about it." And Harry rubbed his sore ear gentlyto soothe the pain. "Jim and I came when Walter screamed, and saw thered-nosed fellow pounding him. I was going to take his part with thecoffee-pot, but before there was time to strike a blow one of themknocked me down."
Then Walter gave a truthful account of all that had been said and donein the cabin, and Bob thought over the matter in silence several momentsbefore speaking.
"It looks as if they wanted to know what there is below here," hefinally said half to himself. "I mistrusted them from the minute theygot into the yawl without takin' the trouble to shove her bow off, an'if I ain't mistaken there'll be mischief done before this 'ere brigreaches port!"
"I suppose they think we can't get along without them--which comespretty near being a fact--and so feel at liberty to ride a high horse,"Joe suggested.
"They shall soon know that we'll lay aground all summer rather than letsich a crowd of sharks bully us!" Bob cried angrily. "Come out with me,Joe, an' we'll settle this matter one way or the other mighty quick!"
"Keep your temper somewhere within soundings," the engineer saidsoothingly, "for they're three against two, and if it should come to afight we might get worsted."
"If I ain't a match for three sich lubbers as them I'll soak my head inthe harness-cask." And with this promise, which savored strongly ofboasting, the old sailor went on deck, Joe joining him as he walkedforward.
The strangers were lounging near the forecastle, apparently indifferentto the disturbance which had been made in the cabin. When Bob came ondeck they glanced toward him as if there was no cause for angrythoughts, and then resumed their conversation.
"Don't be hasty, now!" Joe whispered. "Talk the matter over calmly, tomake sure Walter told the whole truth, and try to find out what theymean to do, before you threaten."
Bob shook his head as if the advice was distasteful; but he followed it,nevertheless. Advancing until he stood opposite the men, he asked in atone which to make sound calm required considerable effort:
"Will you explain what caused the trouble in the cabin just now?"
"I told one of them cubs to get out--they've got no right below--an' heyelled blue murder when I took hold of his coat to make him obey orders.That brought one of the others, who tried to hit me with a coffee-pot,"the red-nosed stranger said without hesitation. "That's about all thereis to it. We did jes' as you or your friend would do when a boy aboardship was impudent."
"Now see here," and it could be plainly perceived that Bob wasstruggling to keep his temper within bounds, "them lads are here byaccident, an' two of 'em don't know what work is, yet they turn to likelittle men. I consider that they've got the same rights on this craft asI have, an' the man who tries to make 'em obey foolish orders is boundto have considerable trouble with me!"
"There won't be any row if they stay in their place an' do a full shareof the work," the red-nosed gentleman said very decidedly.
"It ain't for you to say what their place or work is!" and now Bob'stemper was gaining the ascendancy.
"That's a matter of opinion," the man said in an offensive tone. "Me an'my mates reckon we've got jes' as much to say on this 'ere brig as youhave. In the first place she was abandoned by her proper crew; the cubswere carried off in her, an' you jes' the same as drifted aboard. Allyou've done toward savin' her has been to run on this shoal. The tug'srightful engineer is in charge, so we've got nothin' to say about her;but we're calculatin' on stickin' to what's as much ours as yours!"
If Bob had been alone it is most probable he would have struck thespeaker, and thus precipitated a fight, which very likely was just whatthe strangers desired; but Joe held him back as he said, in a low tone:
"Keep your temper, old man; this is no time for a row. Wait awhile."
"I'll soon show how much right I've got here!" he cried angrily,struggling to release himself from Joe's detaining grasp, and paying noattention to the wise advice.
"You couldn't do better than begin now," the red-nosed man saidsneeringly as he and his companions put themselves in an attitude ofdefence. "Talk is cheap when a man hasn't got the nerve to back it up!"
"Have some sense about you," Joe whispered angrily. "Can't you see thata row is just what they want?"
Fortunately for all save the strangers, Bob realized the truth of thisremark, and instead of rushing blindly forward to what would have beencertain defeat, he stepped back a few paces to the foremast where hecould reach a belaying-pin in case weapons became necessary, and Joecontinued the conversation by saying:
"This talk about your rights is all bosh. I was in charge of the tug,and picked up this vessel, towing her in here. Any court would recognizemy claim as a just one. You wouldn't have a leg to stand on if it cameto legal rights, for both crafts had a crew on board, and nobody askedfor assistance. We propose to hold our ground, and before proceeding toextremities allow you ten minutes in which to leave this brig. If you gopeaceably we will give you one of the Sea Bird's boats and a reasonablesupply of provisions; but in case force is necessary, it may be a matterof swimming ashore!"
"A reg'lar sea-lawyer, eh?" the red-nosed man said with a contemptuouslaugh, in which his companions joined. "We've told you our ideas on thesubject, an' if so be that they don't jes' agree with yours, then Is'pose we'll have to be put ashore--providin' it can be done without toomuch harm to them as tackles the job!"
This speech afforded the strangers no slight amount of amusement, and asthey laughed boisterously Bob seized a belaying-pin with the evidentintention of deciding the question at once.
"Be careful," Joe whispered. "Can't you see that they've got thecapstan-bars ready for use? We should be knocked over like nine-pinsbefore it would be possible to strike a blow. There may be somefire-arms aft, and if we get hold of them first all the advantage willbe on our side."
Bob had turned to follow the very sensible advice when the red-nosed manshouted, this time in a threatening tone:
"Seein's how you've laid down the law for us, I reckon we'd better giveyou a dose. I don't say you've got to go ashore whether or no, for it'sour way to let everybody have a chance. If you're willin' to say thatwe're on the same footin' as you, share an' share alike, there'll be notrouble. In case you don't look at it in that light, then somebody musttake to the island; but it won't be any of us!"
"Don't answer him," Joe said, as he literally pushed Bob aft. "Theyreckon on settlin' matters by a fight now, when they've got the best ofit, an' we must be careful not to do anything foolish."
The old sailor walked swiftly away, as if fearing to trust himself toolong within sound of that mocking voice, and Joe kept close behind himuntil they were in the cabin, where the boys had remained until theresult of the revolt should be determined.
"Sit in the companion-way where you can keep your eye on those men, andsing out if they make any move toward coming aft," Joe said to Jim; andthe latter obeyed at once by taking up his position where everythingforward of the mainmast came within his range of vision.
Bob's rage was so great that
his only desire just now was to enforceauthority, and he lost no time before beginning the search for weapons.From one state-room to another he went, looking into sea-chests,overhauling boxes, and upsetting drawers; but nothing more deadly than asail-needle met his eager gaze. As a matter of coarse, there must havebeen fire-arms on board the brig when she left port; but those whoabandoned her had taken everything of the kind with them.
"I can't find so much as a sheath-knife," he said, coming into thesaloon where Joe stood revolving this very serious turn of affairs inhis mind. "We shall have to trust our fists and anything in the way of aclub that can be picked up, for I'm not goin' to let another hour go bywithout showin' them villains that we intend to hold possession of thiscraft."
"But we mustn't act until we've formed some plan," Joe replied. "Tell mejust what you propose doing, and I'll stand by till the last."
"I'm going to drive them over the side!" Bob cried, passionately.
"Just now they are stronger than our crowd, and it may be a question asto who goes first."
Joe spoke in a matter-of-fact tone; but it could be seen that he waslaboring under no less excitement than the sailor; and the latter,beginning to realize the weakness of their position, asked hoarsely:
"What do you think we ought to do?"
"Wait awhile till we see how they're going to act;" and then theengineer ascended the companion-ladder to ascertain the condition ofaffairs forward.