“What do you mean?” demanded Mr. Ridgeway. “You have your money. Put up those guns and get out! A bargain is a bargain, and I suppose there is honor even among thieves.”
“Among some thieves, no doubt,” said Van Arsdale, smiling his snaky smile. “Also there is another motto. Business is business. It was a good touch to get the three million as well as the jewels and papers, was it not? Yes, it has been quite an education to be with you, Mr. Ridgeway. In my place, you would at once retire and allow me to proceed on my way. But you see there are some brave fellows following who look to me for their daily bread, their all. They will not like it when they find you have not gone down to feed the fishes, but never mind. You know how tender-hearted I am.”
“Even about O’Brien. I don’t mind telling you that I had three ways of detaining him, and I chose the least painful one. Come, Mr. Ridgeway, over the side at once. That boy over there can follow you. He is no good. This ship is listing more all the time. Come, come! I want to true up the engine.”
He took a step toward Mr. Ridgeway, his two revolvers still levelled. Like a flash, Mr. Ridgeway hurled the wireless table full at his captor. Instantly both revolvers went off wild, and Brown, seizing a heavy hyolax case, brought it down on Mr. Ridgeway’s head. If it had struck him squarely, it would have killed him, but Lawrence, springing forward, had been just in time to seize Brown’s arm and the blow glanced. Even then Mr. Ridgeway dropped without a sound and lay as though dead.
Brown had seized Lawrence, and as he held him in a rough grip the sound of an approaching dirigible was heard through the fog.
“Lemme drop them overboard, Excellency, and cut loose and go!”
“No! I do owe something for the three millions, Brown,” said Van Arsdale. “Think what a nice division that is going to make! By rights it is all mine, but I am not small; I will divide. Here come our men. Hoist Ridgeway over the side into the other boat. Don’t try any funny work! If he goes into the sea, so do you. He shall have his life in exchange for the money. You cub, you get over there! If my men come up, I will have hard work saving your precious young neck!” He lifted Lawrence and tossed him over with little ceremony, as Brown tumbled the unconscious figure of Mr. Ridgeway into the other ship.
“Now get out!” said Van Arsdale to Lawrence. “If you can steer get out as fast as you can! The dirigible behind is armored and armed like a battleship. And they won’t waste sympathy on you!” He cut the ropes between the two ships and turned toward the wheel, shoving his revolvers into his pockets.
Lawrence watched him as the two ships sheered off, then as he heard the exhaust of the approaching ship bearing its load of cutthroats Lawrence realized that their chances of life were dwindling. Nothing mattered except to let Van Arsdale know that they were not afraid even at the moment of death.
He leaned over the edge, and as the car sheered off a little, he yelled derisively like a street urchin, “Say, mister, your bag is leaking and pointed upward!”