“Just you wait a second,” Rube began, “until I get out of this boat! I’m not ready, yet, to lead a procession to the cemetery! I prefer to live a spell longer.”
Again a hail came from the Esmeralda.
“We’ll give you five minutes to decide!”
“That’s about four minutes too much!” shouted Clay. “If you object to being blown to Kingdom Come, just lie still when we are passing through the opening.”
“Make ’em give up the Esmeralda!” said Buck.
CHAPTER XI
ALEX GOES FISHING
“Never thought of that!” Clay declared.
“Give ’em five minutes to vacate!”
It was Rube who made the suggestion. By this time both Buck and Rube had climbed back into the boat, and had gathered around the dynamite, though taking good care to keep near the boat’s rail, so they could leap overboard in case anything went off prematurely.