"Yes," Abner continued, "this is a bad place when the tide's runnin' down an' the wind's blowin' up. Two men were drowned right out here a few years ago. They was in a bigger sailin' boat than this when a sudden squall struck her, an' she flopped right over. They couldn't swim, ye see. That's a bad piece of water ahead where ye see them white-caps. I have me doubts about gittin' through."
"Don't go through," the men begged. "For God's sake go back! We've had enough of this."
A gleam of triumph now shone in Abner's eyes. He gave the tiller a vigorous twist and brought the Scud full head to the wind.
"So yez don't want to go through, eh?" he queried.
"No, no. Go back."
"Well, I don't have to go through them white-caps, so what's ye'r terms if I go round 'em?"
"Terms! What do you mean?" Dillman gasped.
"Guess you fellers should know, all right. I want a settlement fer me gravel hill. That's what I mean, an' I intend to have it now."
The men understood most clearly the purport of these words, and their hearts became hot with anger. They realized the helplessness of their position, and how they were at the mercy of this man.
"You're a villain!" Dillman roared. "Do you think it's fair to get us into a tight corner and then hold us up like this?"