The captain tore about the stateroom in a blind rage, dancing up and down and shaking his fists in every direction. The mate stood by only a trifle less excited. It looked like a show to Clay.
“I’ll kill the dirty dogs!” shouted the captain. “I’ll murder them both before they’re a week older! They threatened me, did they? They threatened to turn us over to the officers, did they?”
“That’s what they did!” shouted the mate. “Mike had the drop on me, or I would have settled the matter right then.”
While this conversation was going on Clay stood by the stateroom window, wondering whether it would be possible for him to leap out and drop to the river. His idea was that the men who had stolen the Rambler could not by any possibility be more vicious than the men on board the Hawk; besides, if he could reach Jule, the two might stand some chance of recovering the motor boat.
While he stood making up his mind to undertake the difficult task of leaving the boat without being detected by those on the outside, two pistol shots came from the deck. Instantly the captain and mate whirled out of the stateroom, the latter stopping for an instant to lock the door before dashing down to the scene of the disturbance.
Clay knew by the trembling of the deck under his feet that they were getting the Hawk under way. He saw little puffs of smoke coming from the deck of the Rambler, and rightly surmised that the shots had been fired at her. While he stood undecided, the Hawk began moving down stream, following in the wake of the Rambler.
Without waiting another instant, the boy made his way out of the window and clung to the casing until his feet came in contact with one of the fenders. Then he dropped down into the river with a splash which, in the excitement of getting away, was not observed by those on the lower deck. Indeed, the boy was some distance from the pirate vessel before his absence was discovered at all. Then the captain returned to his stateroom and found it empty.
Rushing to the window, he fired several shots at the boy, but all to no purpose. He was greatly excited, and the boy was diving and dodging in the water so not one of the bullets took effect.
When Mike and Gid, on board the Rambler, saw the boy swimming in the water they naturally supposed him to be one of the crew of the Hawk. Therefore, they began firing at him, thus placing him between two dangers.
Seeing that it would be impossible for him to board the Rambler under the circumstances, the boy dropped down in the water and made for the shore, where he landed, sorely out of breath, in a few moments.