"In that case, these boys will have it in for you,—if they ever get their hands on you," said Sid Jeffers, with a wicked leer.
The men talked among themselves for several minutes and then agreed to take the boys up on deck and place them in two of the staterooms off the cabin.
"They'll have to have more air than here," said Gasper Pold. "Otherwise they'll surely die on our hands."
Dan Baxter was called on to assist, and did so with his knees fairly shaking together. He thought that our friends had surely drank of the dosed water and were in a stupor next to death.
"And if they die, they'll say I was as guilty as the rest!" he groaned to himself. "Oh, I wish I was out of this!"
It was no easy matter to get the three Rovers and Hans on deck and to the staterooms. Here our friends were placed two on a berth, and, for the time being, left to themselves.
"Boys, we have had a narrow escape," whispered Dick, when he at last thought it safe to speak.
"That's the truth," came from Sam. "And we have Dan Baxter to thank for it!" he added. "I can't understand that part of it."
"I think I can," answered Tom. "Baxter is bad enough, but he didn't go in for poisoning us. I am glad to know he isn't quite so heartless as that."
"Dem fellers ought to be all hung, ain't it!" was Hans' comment.