Sam was not eager for the task of defending the cliff, therefore, before his friend could say anything more, he seized the bucket, running boldly down the rocky incline, careless as to whether he might be seen.
When he returned with the water, Tom threw it on the smoldering rubbish, and after assuring himself that the last spark had been extinguished, said in the tone of one giving valuable information:
"Your bloomin' cap'en has gone aboard, an' taken the sailor with him. I reckon you'd better get a little more water, an' then we'll kinder fix up 'bout what we shall do if he really tries to shoot us, though I don't believe he can make any great fist at it with the kind of gun you say he's got."
CHAPTER VII
UNCLE BEN'S ARRIVAL
Sam filled both buckets with sea water and carried them to the top of the cliff, where they could conveniently be got at in case the commander of the "Sally D." made another attempt to burn the shanty, and, this done, there was nothing more to be done in the way of defense.
Now that he had time to consider the situation more calmly, and while they were waiting for Captain Doak to reappear, Tom began to have some misgivings regarding their ability to hold possession of the island against a man armed with a deadly weapon.
"Are you certain that gun of his ain't in condition?" he asked anxiously, and Sam replied with a laugh, as if there was no question whatsoever in his mind:
"I heard the cap'en say it had been loaded more'n two years, an' in that time, for it has been hangin' up in the 'Sally's' cabin all the while, it stands to reason it must have gathered considerable rust. Rube Rowe said he'd rather stand in front than behind it, in case anybody was crazy enough to pull the trigger."
"Then I reckon it's all right," Tom said with a sigh of relief. "I ain't backin' down any when it comes to stoppin' that bloomin' fisherman from burnin' your Uncle Ben's shanty; but I ain't had any too much experience in fightin' with guns. When I lived with Mother Sharkey it was only a case of dodgin' anythin' she could lay her hands on, an' I'm way up on tricks like that, 'cause you see I had to be mighty spry or catch it hot; but——"