“Not much, Porter, I am not that kind of a fool.” Jasniff lowered his voice to a whisper. “To outsiders I won’t acknowledge I have the jewels, but if you’ll fix it so I go clear, I’ll see to it that old Wadsworth gets the gems back.”
“I’ll fix nothing, Jasniff, and you’ll hand over every jewel, and do it right now!” cried Dave, and now he was so angry that he leaped on the criminal and threw him backward over the trunk.
But if Dave was strong, so was Jasniff, and, as of old, the rascal thought nothing of playing a foul trick. Around and around the stateroom went both boys, with first Dave on top and then his opponent. Then suddenly Jasniff pulled himself away and caught up a water pitcher that was on a stand.
“I’ll fix you!” he roared, in the same tone of voice he had employed when he had once attacked Dave in the Oak Hall gymnasium, and he brought the heavy pitcher down straight for Dave’s head.
Had the blow landed as intended, our hero would have been knocked senseless and perhaps seriously hurt. But quick as the bully was, Dave was quicker, and leaped to one side. Then he let out with his fist, landing on Jasniff’s jaw,—a blow that sent the fellow crashing over into a corner. As Jasniff came up, Dave hit him again, and this time he went down all but knocked out.
“Dave!” called a voice from the doorway at that moment, and Captain Sanders appeared. “Having a tussle, eh? Want any help?”
“May be,” panted our hero. “He attacked me with the water-pitcher!” And he pointed to the fragments of chinaware that lay on the floor.
“Do-don’t h-hit me again!” spluttered Nick Jasniff.
“Will you hand over the jewels and behave yourself?”
“I—I haven’t got the jewels,” and now Jasniff arose unsteadily to his feet.