Shamhaven had not expected this encounter, and for the moment he was dumbstruck. He gazed from Larry to Luke as if they were ghosts.
"I—I—who are you, anyway?" he stammered. "I don't know you," he added, striving to regain his composure.
"Yes, you do know me, and you know Luke Striker, too," answered the young gunner's mate.
"What does this mean?" asked the captain of the brig, while a number of others looked on with interest.
"I'll tell you what it means, sir," said Larry, and did so. "He has got to give up my money belt and my money, and give up Captain Ponsberry's money, too."
At this moment Peterson came up and was promptly collared by Luke.
"Stop! Don't you vos touch me!" cried Peterson. "I ain't noddings done, no."
"You helped Shamhaven to rob me," came from Larry.
"No, he done it all alone! I no touch noddings!"
"Oh, shut up!" roared Shamhaven, in disgust. "I never robbed anybody. If you lost your money Peterson must have taken it."