"Yaas, sir, Boss," replied Doright in a shaking tone.
Quickly he obeyed the commands of his master, securely fastening the boys' arms behind their backs with lengths of cord. He then indicated a bed on the floor of the cabin as a place where the boys might rest if they chose.
"Now you stay out here on the gallery and keep your eyes open," commanded Lopez. "I won't be gone more'n an hour if I can find Wyckoff and we'll see what he wants done with these robbers!"
After he was gone Doright took up his post on the gallery. He persistently refused to reply to the boys' questions, and after a time they refrained from trying to elicit any information.
"Looks like that villain Wyckoff was out after us and means business!" Harry ventured. "He seems to have lots of help!"
"I guess this is one of those Spanish moss beds you were telling about, Arnold," Harry said, walking over and kicking the bed.
"Looks like it," replied Arnold, "but just now the springs in the Fortuna berths would suit me a whole lot better. I'm homesick."
"And I'm going home," declared Harry with emphasis.
"How are you going?" queried Arnold. "We can't get away from the negro outside. He's guarding the very door."
"I'll show you how we'll get out. I'm going to burn these cords off my arms, and then I'll set fire to the cabin, and when Doright rushes in, we'll rush out. Before he knows what's up, we'll be away in the woods. I'd like another piece of sheep, though!"