With an ugly cry Hepton leaned over the edge of the forward deck-house, sighting.
“Don’t do that,” called Captain Tom, sharply. Then he added: “I beg your pardon, Mr. Seaton, but I don’t believe you want any shooting to come from us unless it’s necessary.”
“No, I don’t,” replied the charter-man, thoughtfully. “Dalton and Lemly seem willing to take desperate chances, acting like pirates, in fact. But we don’t want to kill anyone, and, above all, we want to be very sure we have the law on our side.”
“They fired our way,” urged Hepton, rather stubbornly. “We have a right to defend ourselves.”
“But they sent only one shot,” replied Seaton. “They might afterwards claim that it was an accidental discharge. Unless they make it very 145 plain that they’re playing the part of pirates, we’d better take the best of care not to put ourselves wrong before the law.”
“That’s all right, sir,” admitted Hepton. “But, while I’m willing to take any chances that go with my job, it doesn’t seem just fair to ask me to be exposed to bullets from that other boat without the right to answer their fire.”
“You can get down before the forward deck-house, Hepton,” nodded Halstead, pleasantly. “You can’t be hit through the deck-house.”
“But you can be hit, fine,” objected Hepton.
“Like Mr. Seaton,” answered the young skipper, “I’d rather take the chance than do anything to put us in the wrong.”
Grumbling a bit, though under his breath, Hepton seated himself where the forward deck-house would protect him. Joe remained leaning nonchalantly over the edge of the house.