“Now let the sharks have a go at him if they like,” said Rasp, as he forced the prisoner to the side. “I’ve a good mind not to give him a safety-line; but there, I won’t be shabby.”
As he spoke he secured the rope to the Cuban’s waist, and then, as he fully realised that they were going to send him overboard, he made a desperate struggle to free himself, but all in vain. There were five to one; the gangway was open, and, acting all together, Lauré was forced to the side, and fell backwards into the sea with a sullen plunge.
Story 1--Chapter XXXVII.
“Good-Bye.”
Rasp had placed a man at the pump and a supply of air was being kept up, a supply now augmented by another man being sent to help turn the wheel, while with a grim look of satisfaction Rasp took hold of the life-line and tightened it a little, to feel the unwilling diver’s movements.
“He’ll be pulling hard directly,” chuckled the old fellow. “Only let him see a shark—one of his first cousins—a villain. Wonder what Mr Dutch’ll say when he knows how we’ve been serving out the scoundrel as—”
“What does all this mean?” exclaimed Dutch, coming so suddenly upon the group that they started asunder, and the air-pump stopped.
“On’y giving that rascal a lesson in diving,” growled Rasp.