In all the long street in sight from the pier there was no sign of a uniformed officer. Clay did not know how far he would have to run to find one, so he decided to remain where he was for a time and, if necessary, perhaps attack the intruders from the rear.
Crouching low on the after deck, he could hear Jule talking to the outlaws, and smiled as he listened to the boy’s attempts to interest them.
“If you break down that door,” he heard Jule say, “you’ll have to pay for it! That door cost money.”
A volley of oaths and river billingsgate followed the remark, and blows which fairly shook the cabin came upon the sturdy panels.
While Clay sat listening, half resolved to make his way over to the pier and fire a few shots over the heads of the ruffians, a figure dropped lightly on the deck at his side and Teddy’s soft muzzle was pressed against his face. He stroked the bear gently.
“I don’t blame you for getting out of there, Teddy,” he said. “They’ll wreck the boat if we don’t do something pretty soon. What would you advise, old chap?” he added whimsically.
Teddy sniffed the air in the direction of the pier and clambered clumsily up to the top of the cabin.
“I wouldn’t go up there if I were you,” Clay advised.
Teddy continued his way over the roof and finally came to the forward edge. Clay raised his head to the level of the roof and watched him. As he did so a round circle of light sprang up at the head of the pier, flashed toward the river for a moment, and died out. The next moment a sound of some one stumbling over a bale of goods reached his ears. Then the light flashed out again, and the pounding on the cabin door ceased.
“Now I wonder,” Clay pondered, “if that isn’t Alex and Case! They usually have their searchlights with them, and Case is always stumbling over something. It would be fine to have them appear now!”