“He had no right to be transporting the liquor.”
“Fairy tales, lad! Fairy tales!” answered the mate sarcastically. “Everybody’s doing it. You’ve got to settle with Ferguson before we let you take that boat.” And thus speaking the mate walked away to relieve the man at the wheel.
It must be admitted that the boys were in anything but a happy frame of mind when they went to get the scanty and badly-cooked breakfast which was offered to them. Jack had told the others what the mate had said, and all were justly indignant.
“I believe they’re nothing but a bunch of thieves,” was Fred’s comment. “This is only an excuse for robbing us of the motor boat.”
“That’s just what I think!” put in Gif. “Gee, I wish we could arm ourselves in some way and compel these fellows to run the schooner ashore.”
“I’m sorry I got you into so much trouble, Ralph,” said Jack to his friend. “I didn’t know that fellow Ferguson would be on board,” and he grinned.
“It’s not your fault at all, Jack,” returned Ralph, quickly. “That’s only an excuse to keep the motor boat. I believe these fellows haven’t any conscience and they will take everything we’ve got before they let us go.”
“Maybe they won’t let us go even then,” put in Randy. “You know the old saying, ‘Dead men tell no tales.’ They may take us to sea and drop us overboard.”
“Great Cæsar, Randy! you’re the cat’s slippers for scaring us to death,” burst out his twin.