"You've no right to take such high-handed action," snarled the master of the tug.
"You're in no position to decide that, Captain. You're a United States prisoner, at least until I have had opportunity to communicate with my superior officer. Go inside, sir."
Boggs obeyed, and Hal stationed a soldier at the wheel-house door.
"Now you Mexicans get back into the cabin," Hal continued, stepping back amidships.
"We're going ashore," snarled Pedro Guarez.
"You're going to obey orders," Lieutenant Hal retorted, "and I've ordered you into the cabin."
Instead Guarez turned as though he would leap ashore. The tug had now drifted some six feet from the string-piece of the pier.
"Squad, load!" ordered Hal sharply.
"Shoot if you dare!" challenged Guarez. "My friends and I are going ashore." Then he addressed a few words in Spanish to his friends. The words were so rapidly uttered that Overton could not understand them.
"Squad ready!" called Hal sternly. "Aim——"