"There's a tide, though, which is just as bad. This is a mess, sure."
"Well, talkin' won't do any good," his companion replied. "I'm goin' to hunt along the shore."
He had taken but a step when a deep voice from above startled him, causing him to pause and look quickly up. As he did so, his face underwent a marvellous change of fear and rage, for there was the captain, looking calmly along the barrel of his rifle.
"Stay jist where ye are," was the imperative order. "If one of yez move, I'll shoot quicker'n blazes. Yer boat's all right, so don't worry about her."
A stream of angry oaths now leaped from the robbers' lips, as they realised the helplessness of their position. They did not dare to move, as they were too close to the frowning muzzle of the over-shadowing rifle.
"It's no use to talk that way," the captain warned, "so jist shet yer dirty mouths. I've heard sich gab before, and it doesn't jar me in the least."
"Who are you, anyway?" one of the men demanded, "and how dare ye hold us up? Ye'll pay dear fer this."
"Is that so? It doesn't matter who I am; ye'll find that out soon enough."
"What d'ye mean?" was the reply.
"Never mind. I'm not here to argue with the like of you. There'll be others who kin do that better. All that I want yez to do now is to behave yerselves, and do as I order."