CHAPTER XXIV
IN THE ENGINE ROOM
After the bold declaration of Gasper Pold there was an awkward pause.Dick and Tom did not know what to do and neither did the party atthe top of the engineroom ladder.
"Are you going to give in or not?" demanded Sack Todd, at length.
"Why should we give in?" asked Dick.
"Because if you do, we'll treat you well."
"And if we don't--" came from Tom.
"Then you'll have to take the consequences. As Baxter says, we aresix to two, so it is all nonsense for you to think you can hold outagainst us."
"Supposing we do give in, what are you going to do with us?" askedDick, curiously but with no present intention of submitting to theevildoers.
"Oh, we'll treat you fairly enough," put in Gasper Pold. "We'll giveyou all you want to eat and drink and put you off at some safe placealong the coast."
"Come, do you submit?" demanded the mate of the _Dogstar_.
"What do you say, Dick?" whispered Tom, so faintly that the otherscould not hear.
"I don't want to give in to them."
"Neither do I. But it looks pretty shaky, doesn't it?"
"Yes, they have us cornered."
"We are armed, and if there is to be any shooting we can do our shareof it," resumed Sack Todd. "But there is no need to go to such anextreme. Better submit quietly and let that end it. We wish you noharm, but we are bound to have our way."
"Let Sam and Hans come down and we'll talk it over," said Dick, struckby a sudden idea.
"You had better come up, and then you can talk it over in the cabin,"said Sack Todd, and whispered something to his companion the Roverscould not hear.
"Not yet," said Dick, firmly.
"All right, suit yourself. But if you won't come up, you can staythere. Throw over the hatch, fellows."
There was a hatch to fit over the opening to the engine room andwithout further words this was thrown into place and secured fromthe deck.
"Dick, we are prisoners!" cried Tom.
"It certainly looks like it," answered the eldest Rover, soberly.
"There is another door,--but it is locked from the other side, I think."
They listened and heard the men and Baxter walk away from the hatchway.Then all became quiet, for Tom had stopped the engine.
For over half an hour the two Rover boys remained in the engine roomof the _Mermaid_ doing little but walk around. With the hatch closedit was very hot down there, and Dick, who had his coat on, was gladto discard that garment. They could get little or no fresh air, andboth wondered how long they could stand the confinement.
"I wouldn't care so much, if only I knew Sam and Hans were safe,"remarked Dick. "But for all we know, they may have been killed."
"Oh, I don't think that," answered his brother. "I don't think DanBaxter is quite so wicked."
Presently there came a noise above and the hatch was raised. The nextinstant Sam came tumbling down the iron ladder, followed by Hans.
"Now you fellows can talk it over as long as you like," said GasperPold. "When you come to terms let us know by blowing the steam whistle."
And then the hatch was put down and fastened as before.
"Sam, are you all right?" asked Dick and Tom, in a breath.
"Oh, yes, after a fashion," answered the youngest Rover. "But theyhandled me pretty roughly."
"And you, Hans?"
"I dink I vos peen putty vell hammered alretty. Py chimanatics! Ivish I could drow dem all oferpoard, ain't it!"
"We are in a box, in more ways than one," said Tom.
"What did they do to you?" questioned Dick, and then Sam and Hanstold their stories, adding that they had been taken from the stateroomsbut a few minutes before, brought on deck, unbound and ungagged, andsent down the iron ladder as already mentioned.
"I was afraid first they were going to throw us overboard," said Sam."I think Sack Todd is equal to it, and that Gasper Pold is about as bad."
The four youths talked the situation over for a good hour, but couldreach no satisfactory conclusion. They did not wish to submit to theothers and yet they realized that they were "in a box" as Tom said.
"I know one thing--I want a drink of water," said Sam. "I am as dryas a salt fish."
"Yah, I vont me a trink, too," added Hans.
"Well, you'll have to go without," answered Tom. "I am dry myself.I was going to get some fresh water just before the trouble began,but I didn't have the chance."
"I know what they'll do--they'll starve us out," exclaimed Sam. "Isee their game plainly."
"I am going to whistle for water," said Tom, with something of hisusual grin. "Nothing like being stylish."
He pulled the cord and the whistle gave a loud toot. He repeated thisseveral times, when they heard footsteps and the hatch was raisedabout a foot.
"Ready to submit?" asked Sack Todd, peering down on them.
"We want some drinking water," answered Tom.
"Oh, pshaw!" said the man, in disgust.
"Will you give us a bucket of fresh water or not?' asked Dick.
"Maybe--I'll see," said Todd, and dropped the hatch into place once more.
"I don't believe he'll give us a thing," was Sam's comment. "He knowsif he doesn't we'll have to give up sooner or later."
"Of ve only had apout two dozen policemans here!" sighed the Germanyouth.
In the meanwhile Sack Todd told the others about the water.
"Are you going to give it to them?" questioned Dan Baxter.
"Don't think I will," was the answer.
"You can't let them die of thirst," went on the former bully of PutnamHall, with some little show of feeling.
"I've got an idea," came from Gasper Pold. "Is there a medicinecabinet on board? Generally such a vessel carries one."
"Yes, there is one in the cabin," answered Sid Jeffers. "What do youwant of it?"
"We might put some dope in the drinking water. That will fix 'em."
"What, you wouldn't poison them!" cried Dan Baxter, and gave a littleshiver.
"Oh, we'll only put them to sleep," answered Gasper Pold, but witha look on his face that Baxter did not like.
The men went to the cabin and the former bully of Putnam Hall followed.Here the medicine cabinet was found filled with various liquids andpowders and Gasper Pold looked them over with care.
"I worked in a drug store when I was a young man," he explained. "AndI took a good bit of interest in dopes and poisons."
Dan Baxter heard him say this, and to the credit of the bully it madehim shudder. He was no friend to the Rovers, yet he did not wish tosee them lose their lives. He paused for a moment, then turned andran on deck.
Nobody was in sight, for the sailors from the _Dogstar_ were asleepbelow. He ran for a bucket, filled it with water and took it to thehatchway, which he opened feverishly.
"Hullo there!" he whispered.
"Baxter, is it you?" queried Dick, coming to the ladder.
"Yes. Take this bucket of water, quick. It's clean and good. Don'tdrink what the others bring you."
"But, Baxter--" began Tom.
"I can't stay. Be careful of what they give you to eat and drink,that's all." And the next moment the bucket was passed to Dick, thehatch closed down, and Baxter fairly ran back to where he had leftthe men.
"What can this mean?" asked Dick, staring at his companions.
"Dick, be careful," warned Sam. "It may be some plot of Baxter's."
"Maype ve ton't besser trink dot vater," suggested Hans. "I ton'tvont to vake up teat in der morning, ain't it!"
"Can the water be poisoned?" asked Tom.
They poured some in a glass and held it close to the light. It lookedgood and Dick tasted it cautiously.
"Baxter said to beware of what the others gave us to eat and todrink," said Sam. "Evidently something is in the air."
All sniffed of the water and tasted it, yet each was afraid to takea regular drink. While they were deliberating they hea
rd the hatchbeing raised again. Then Sack Todd and Gasper Pold appeared once more.