CHAPTER XXV
CAPTURE OF CAPTAIN JACK
"He's telling the truth," said Jack, as he withdrew his head and shut the window. "He'll be back, all right, but I don't believe he'll try it tonight."
"Why?" asked Captain Glenn.
"Because he will figure that is what we expect him to do. No, I believe we will be secure enough here to-night."
"That's pretty good reasoning, Jack," said Frank. "But we'll be ready for the pirates when they do come."
"Nevertheless, it would be well to sleep with one eye open, so to speak," said Williams.
"Oh, we'll stand guard," said Jack. "We will not lay ourselves open to surprise by all going to bed at the same time. To my mind the night should be divided into three watches, as should the day. There are six of us. That means four hours' guard duty apiece."
"That's reasonable enough," Frank agreed. "I'll take the first watch, if it's agreeable."
"Any way suits me," declared Captain Glenn.
"Then I'll pick you for second watch, Captain," said Jack. "I'll take the third. That will leave the day watch for Williams, Allen and Timothy."
Thus it was arranged. Frank began his watch at six o'clock that evening.
It was about an hour later when, as the others had gathered about them,
Frank conceived a brilliant idea.
"By George!" he exclaimed suddenly.
"What's up?" asked Jack.
"Well," replied Frank, "I think I've got a plan that will save a lot of trouble."
"Let's hear it," said Williams.
"According to Jack's reasoning," said Frank, "we have little to fear from the pirates tonight."
"Right," said Jack. "What of it?"
"If your reasoning is good—and I believe it is," Frank continued, "why can't we make a sortie tonight and capture the estimable Captain Jack? That would settle the whole business. Pirates without a leader would be like a ship without a rudder. What do you think about it?"
Jack considered the plan carefully before vouchsafing a reply. At length he said:
"Your plan, Frank, has all the earmarks of being successful. I believe you have solved the problem."
"So do I," declared Williams.
"I'm not so sure," said Captain Glenn. "Of course, no one will dispute that Frank's plan will solve the solution if it is successfully carried out. But there's the trouble. Should it fail, chances are some of us wouldn't be good for anything more. Besides, it would leave a harder task for those who survived."
"' Nothing risked, nothing gained," said Frank.
"That's true enough," said Captain Glenn, "but—"
"There is no use arguing," declared Jack. "Time grows short. Either we adopt the plan or we don't. We'll put it to vote. Frank, of course, votes for the plan and so do I. How about you, Williams?"
"Aye, sir," was the reply.
"Good! That's three. One more vote and it's decided. How about you,
Timothy?"
"I vote yes," returned the sailor.
"That settles it, then," said Jack. "Captain Glenn, you're in the minority."
"All right," said the captain. "I'll make the vote unanimous if Allen is agreeable."
"Suits me, sir," was the reply.
"As it's my plan," said Frank, "I ask to be allowed to lead the sortie. Some of us, of course, must stay here to protect the retreat of the others should they come back in a hurry."
"You're the doctor, Frank," said Jack.
"Very well. Then I elect to have you stay behind, Jack. Captain Glenn, Williams and I will do the work. You fellows who remain will be ready to admit us when we return."
"Trouble is," said Captain Glenn, "we don't know just where the pirates are encamped."
"I imagine we won't have much trouble finding out," said Frank.
"Then there is another thing," said Williams. "They may see us when we emerge from the stockade."
"I think not," said Frank. "First we will extinguish all lights. We can pass from the fort into the stockade, of course, without danger of being seen. Fortunately the night is dark. I am sure we can slip into the open unobserved."
"It's worth trying, at all events," declared Jack.
And so it was decided.
It was half past eleven o'clock by Jack's watch when Frank led the way from the fort. Behind him came Captain Glenn. Williams brought up the rear. Immediately they were outside, Jack closed and barred the door. Then he took up his silent vigil at the little window, prepared to unbar the door at a moment's notice should he see the others returning.
The three without flitted from the stockade like shadows. The night, as Frank had said, was very dark. Outside the stockade, the three threw themselves to the ground and crawled quietly toward the not far distant forest. They reached the shelter of the trees safely, then got to their feet.
Frank, acting upon impulse, led the way to the left, passing further into the forest as he advanced. After half an hour of careful walking, he stopped suddenly. The others halted at his side.
Frank pointed into the darkness. There, not ten yards away, Jay several sleeping figures. Frank knew they were members of the pirate band. The thing to do now was to single out the figure of Captain Jack.
Motioning the others to follow him, Frank stepped carefully in among the prostrate forms. He scanned each sleeper carefully, and at last he came upon a figure that he felt certain was the pirate captain.
This figure lay at full length, his face buried in one arm so Frank could not distinguish his features. But from the man's general build, the lad felt certain that he had picked the right man.
He motioned Captain Glenn and Williams to step close. Frank drew a previously prepared gag from his pocket and bent over the sleeper. Captain Glenn presented the muzzles of a pair of automatics squarely at the man, and Williams stooped over, armed with a length of rope. These precautions taken, Frank stirred the sleeper gently.
The man turned over and as he did so Frank clapped the gag to his mouth and tied it quickly. Then he lent a hand to Williams, and in spite of the gurgled protest of the victim, bound his hands. Frank then looked into the man's face.
He had picked aright. The man was Captain Jack.
The pirate, gazing into the weapons held by Captain Glenn, became
suddenly quiet. Frank motioned him to proceed the way they had come.
Captain Jack did so and stepped carefully over the sleeping men, as
Frank, in a low voice, warned him to do.
Presently the three companions and their prisoner were beyond the circle of sleeping command.
"Now hurry," said Frank in a low voice.
At the same moment Captain Jack, in some manner, loosened the gag in his mouth and his voice rang out in a shout.
"Help! Help, men! Help!"
Frank realized the uselessness of further caution.
"Run!" he cried.
He whipped out his revolver, and as Captain Jack would have lingered, he fired at the ground. The bullet kicked up the shrubbery and the Captain, apparently believing the lad had attempted to shoot him, took to his heels with the others.
From behind came the sounds of confusion as the pirates, slumber-stricken, got to their feet, took in the situation and dashed to the chief's aid.
"Run your hardest!" cried Frank. "Don't hesitate or we shall be shot down as we cross the open."
But the moment gained as the pirates rubbed the sleep from their eyes sufficed.
Several times Frank urged Captain Jack to greater efforts by kicking up the dirt at his heels with a bullet from his revolver; but they entered the protection of the stockade at the same moment the first pirate reached the clearing that intervened and opened fire with his rifle.
As the four dashed across the stockade to the fort, Jack, who had not taken his eyes from the window since his friends left, quickly unbarred and threw open the door.
The four dashed inside. Quickly Jack barred the door again.
"Guns ready!" he cried. "The pirates may attack!"
Frank turned to Captain Jack.
"Well, my friend, Mr. Pirate Chief," he said with a grin, "we have you safe at last, eh?"
Captain Jack's only reply was a subdued growl.