“You’ve caught me,” he said. “The game is up.” 220
He folded his arms.
“What does this mean?” demanded Lieutenant Summers, taking a hand in the proceedings. “Captain, who is this man?”
“That fellow Higginbotham, about whom I told you,” said Captain Folsom in an aside. “The man who escaped from the Brownell place.”
“Ah.” Lieutenant Summers saw the light. He addressed Higginbotham sternly:
“You and your men, masquerading in the uniforms of officers and sailors of the U. S. N.,” he said. “You will pay heavily for this, my man. Such masquerade is severely punished by the government.”
Higginbotham started to reply, but Frank had an idea. Not waiting to hear what the other had to say, he impulsively stepped forward and plucked Captain Folsom’s sleeve.
“That man is trying to delay us, Captain,” he whispered. “I am sure of it. He wants the men in the small boat to escape. I’ll bet, sir,” he said excitedly, “that whoever is in that boat is the Man Higher Up whom you are so anxious to capture.”
Captain Folsom was struck by the cogency of Frank’s reasoning. Signing to him to fall back, he whispered to Lieutenant Summers. The latter listened, then nodded. He stood silent a moment, thinking. 221
“I have it,” he said. “We’ll call another boat from the Nark to go to the assistance of young Hampton.”