This demand nearly took away Randolph Rover's breath.
"Twenty thousand dollars!" he gasped. "It is—is preposterous!"
"Is it? You are worth a good deal more than that, Mr. Rover. And
I am demanding only what is fair."
"You shall never get the money."
"Won't we?"
"Never!"
"Perhaps you'll sing a different tune in a few, days—after your stomachs get empty," responded Dan Baxter, with a malicious gleam in his fishy eyes. "So you mean to starve us into acceding to your demands," said Dick. "Baxter, I always did put you down as a first-class rascal. If you keep, on, you'll be more of a one than your father."
In high rage the former bully of Putnam Hall strode forward and without warning struck the defenseless Dick a heavy blow on the cheek.
"That, for your impudence," he snarled. "You keep a civil tongue in your head. If you don't—" He finished with a shake of his fist.
"You had bettair make up your mind to pay ze monish," said Captain Villaire, after a painful pause. "It will be ze easiest way out of ze situation for you."