“Where are the other young fellows?” questioned Letts, shortly, as he gazed suspiciously at Jack and then at the retreating form of Ira Small.
“They haven’t come on deck yet, so I suppose they’re sleeping,” answered Jack. “Are you ready to let us take our boat and go?” he went on.
“We may let you go as soon as it clears a bit. But about taking your motor boat, that’s another story. Bill Ferguson, the captain’s partner, says he has a claim on it.”
“A claim? I don’t see how that can be!”
“It was you and your uncle who were responsible for smashing up an automobile with all the liquor aboard.”
“Oh, so that’s his scheme!” cried Jack, his eyes flashing. “He expects us to settle that bill, does he? Well, I’ll tell you right now, he has another guess coming to him! He and that fellow with him were responsible for that accident, and not I—nor my uncle. Besides that, the boat belongs to Mr. Mason. I have no claim on it.”
“Ferguson says you’re all in together and you’ll have to settle for that smash-up before you can have that motor boat.”
“What does he put his claim at? Not that I’ve any idea of settling it.”
“He says that it’ll cost at least three hundred dollars to repair the car, and he lost over a thousand dollars’ worth of liquor.”