This was agreed to, with many sighs at the loss of the money, and the boys were soon on board the Rambler, where they found Jule arguing fiercely with a man who did not know what Jule was saying any more than Jule knew what he was saying. Frank listened and turned a pale face to Clay.
“We’re tied up,” he said, “until the stores are paid for!”
CHAPTER XVI.—“KEEP HER HEAD ON!”
“Tied up!” repeated Alex. “Does that mean that we can’t give ’em back their stuff and take the Rambler away?”
“I’ll find out,” Frank volunteered, turning to the Spaniard who was now shaking his fists’ angrily in the air and almost foaming at the mouth.
There was a short conference, and then Frank turned back to the boys, his manner not at all encouraging.
“He wants his pay, or the boat!” he said. “He says he’s been to all the trouble of getting the goods on board, and that he’s not going to go to the further bother of taking them off. He says we can’t leave this harbor until we settle in full.”
“But he can’t hold the boat,” urged Case. “It doesn’t belong to us, but to Dr. Holcomb.”
Again Frank conferred with the excited dealer in marine supplies.
“He says that in law that makes no difference,” was the discouraging report.