"There," said Jack, "I guess that will settle you. Tie him up, men."
A wild cheer had burst from the sailors as Jack delivered the finishing touch. None of these men had ever seen Jack in action before, and it was only natural that they should be greatly impressed at this exhibition of their commander's prowess.
"By glory! What a blow!" one of them exclaimed. "Did you see it, Tom?"
"Did I?" exclaimed the man addressed as Tom; "did I? I'll say I did, and I thought I was pretty handy with my fists. But not against Captain Jack, not for me."
As bidden by Jack, the sailors rolled the German commander over and bound him. Then they carried him to the Essex's launch and threw him in, none too gently, either, for there was no man there who had not a disgust for Germans, German tactics and everything German.
"Now," said Frank to Jack, "I guess we may as well stand clear and let the Essex pour a few shells into the vessel, eh?"
Jack shook his head.
"No," he said, "we shall take possession of the vessel. Call down below and see if the Germans will surrender."
Frank approached the conning tower and called down.
"Hello!" he shouted.