The young skipper seized his charter-man by one arm, almost dragging him along. Yet Powell Seaton, who was in a state of horrible uncertainty, permitted this forcing. 112
Outside, on the porch, Captain Tom hesitated for a moment, then, after glancing at the guards, went on briskly:
“Mr. Seaton, I know you don’t want to carry an armed force for purposes of attack on anyone, and you wouldn’t have a right to do it, anyway. But, as we may be attacked, if we run afoul of Dalton and his friends, won’t it be much better if you take at least a couple of your armed guards from this place?”
Nodding curtly, Mr. Seaton called to Hepton and Jasper, two of the guards, explaining that they were needed for a cruise on the “Restless.” The pair followed along after the others.
“You can keep your rifles, just as well, in the motor room,” suggested Captain Tom, and the fire-arms were placed below.
Hank had everything in readiness for casting off. Within forty-five seconds after boarding, the “Restless” was under way, poking her nose in a north-easterly direction.
“We’d better loaf later on, rather than now, Joe,” proposed the young skipper. “See how much speed you can crowd out of the motors.”
Powell Seaton chose to go aft, all alone, dropping into one of the deck arm-chairs. For a long time he remained there, moody and silent.
“What liner do you figure on Dalton trying 113 to overtake and board?” queried Joe, coming up at last out of the motor room.
“Why, I don’t just know,” confessed Tom, pondering. “But I’ll tell you what you can do, Joe. Leave Hank to watch the motors. You go to the wireless apparatus and send out the longest spark you can get. Direct your call to any vessel bound for Rio Janerio, or Brazil in general. If you get an answer from such a craft, ask her latitude and longitude, course and speed, so we can make for her directly.”