"See—see here," he gasped. "Wha—what does this—"
"Shut up!" cried Baxter. "We won't hurt you if you'll keep still. But if you don't—"
"I—I haven't hurt anybody, sir."
"All right, old man; keep still."
"But I—I don't understand?"
"You will, later on."
Dan Baxter had the straps of the old harness ready and with them he fastened Captain Starr's hands behind him and also tied his ankles together. Then he backed the commander of the houseboat to a post and secured him, hands and feet.
"Now then, don't you make any noise until to-morrow morning," was Dan Baxter's warning. "If you do, you'll get into trouble. If you keep quiet, we'll come back in the morning, release you, and give you a hundred dollars."
"Give me a hundred dollars?" questioned the captain, simply.
"That is what I said."