"He's goin' to shoot! Let him have it!"
At the same instant he suited the action to the words; four missiles came skimming down the cliff, one of them striking the rusty gun within an inch of the captain's face, and another hitting the commander of the "Sally D." on the left leg with a thud that could be distinctly heard.
The ancient weapon was knocked from the captain's hands, or fell when he grasped the injured limb as if in greatest distress, and then came from his lips a regular torrent of abuse and threats.
"I don't allow you're doin' us any damage by usin' your tongue so much; but at the same time I ain't willin' to stand here doin' nothin' while you're shootin' your mouth off at sich a rate," Tom said threateningly, as he armed himself with more rocks. "Get on down toward the beach, or I'll try my hand at bruisin' your other leg!"
To the surprise of both the boys, Captain Doak hastily obeyed this command, hobbling off as if it caused him keenest pain to use the injured member, but at the same time taking good care not to linger within range of those whom he had attempted to bully.
"What do you think of that?" Tom cried in astonishment as he watched the commander of the "Sally D." hurrying to gain the beach.
"He has gone off to try some other game, an' when he comes again we'll get it hotter," Sam whispered timidly, and Tom replied scornfully, almost as if disappointed because the battle had been ended so suddenly:
"Unless he puts up somethin' hotter we've wasted our time by luggin' up so many rocks. He's nothin' but a great big bully, that's what he is, an' the minute things ain't runnin' his way he's ready to cry baby. I'm goin' to get that gun!"
"Don't! Don't leave the cliff, or he'll serve you out terrible!" Sam cried, trying to prevent his companion from scrambling down the rocky descent, but Tom pushed him aside as he said disdainfully:
"It'll be a cold day when he uses me so very terrible, the big bag of wind!" and down he ran at full speed, Captain Doak apparently giving no heed as the lad captured the rusty gun.