“What do you fellows want?” Alex. demanded, looking straight into the muzzle of a gun that seemed to have a bore as large as the Hudson river tunnel.
“We want that boat, so we can get on board the motor contraption,” said a voice.
“That’s no negro!” whispered Alex. “It is a white man blacked up!”
“Right you are!” replied Gregg.
“What are you boys talking about?” demanded the holder of the threatening gun.
“We were telling each other how glad we were to meet you!” Alex. snarled.
“You’re a nervy kid, anyhow,” said the other. “Push the boat up here, so we can get in. We were raised as pets, and don’t want to get wet.”
There was nothing to do but obey instructions. They knew the desperate character of the men they were facing. If they followed orders and waited for an opportunity to turn the tables on their captors, they might get out of the mess with whole skins, but if they forced a fight there and then there would be little hope for them. When there were four of the pirates in the boat, crouching down under the gunwales, who made the fifth, the spokesman gave his orders.
“Now you boys row back. When we get close up I’ll show myself and put the whole party under cover. See? My men will also have their guns, and if you disobey instructions in the slightest particular, you’ll be shot in the back.”
“That’s where you like to shoot, I take it!” growled Gregg. “If I had one of you out on the bank I’d break him in two pieces and feed him to the snakes.”