Bayard spoke confidently enough, but the words of his cousin terrified him, and it was with a great deal of impatience that he followed the deliberate movements of the old Frenchman. When the latter reached the hold, he paused long enough to light a lantern, after which he led the way to a small locker in the extreme forward part of the vessel. He opened the door, and handing the lantern to Bayard, stepped back and motioned him to enter. The boy glanced timidly into the room, and then looked suspiciously at Coulte, as if he feared that the latter were about to try some trick upon him; but a second glance into the locker reassured him. There was a prisoner there, and at the sight of him Bayard uttered a shout of triumph. He did not see much of him—nothing but his boots, for the rest of his body was hidden behind a coil of rope; but that was enough for Bayard, who knew those boots and the little silver spurs that were attached to the heels. He stepped quickly into the room, and holding the lantern over the coil of rope so that its rays fell full upon the face of the captive, exclaimed:
“Well, my young boy, didn’t we tell you yesterday that you hadn’t seen the last of us?”
“Bayard Bell, is this some of your work?” asked a familiar voice.
It was not Walter Gaylord’s voice. If it had been it would not have produced such an effect upon Bayard and his cousins. The former started back, almost dropping the lantern in his bewilderment, while Seth and Will crowded into the locker and looked over their cousin’s shoulder.
CHAPTER VIII.
WHAT HAPPENED THERE.
“Well, if this doesn’t beat anything I ever heard of!” said Seth, in a frightened whisper. “That isn’t him, is it?”
“No sir, it isn’t. It is somebody else, as sure as you are alive,” replied Will. “It is—it is—”
“I want to know if I have you to thank for this?” repeated the prisoner, raising himself to a sitting posture, and looking over the coil of rope at the astonished boys. “Why don’t you say something.”