"I'm not allowin' he shall go on board," Uncle Ben said in such a firm tone that the boys looked at him in surprise. "He can name over what he claims, an' then leave the island, else I'll start for the Port. What'll be done after I get there he knows full well."
Captain Doak appeared to be quite as much surprised as were the boys; but it was not in his nature to give in beaten until absolutely obliged so to do, and he cried hotly:
"I'll do as I please——"
"We'll see about that!" and Reuben advanced with upraised oar. "I didn't think it was in Uncle Ben to take sich a strong stand; but it seems that he's got considerable backbone after all, which is apt to be the way with these soft-spoken folks. You're to leave, an' do it mighty quick, without another word, or I'll let this oar drop!"
To the surprise of all, even including Mr. Rowe, Captain Doak selected a few articles from the collection on the beach and threw them into his dory without speaking, but after pulling from the shore a few strokes, he stopped to say:
"Don't think you've seen the last of me, Ben Johnson. I count the 'Sally' as belongin' to me as much as she ever did, an' from this out I'll make it my business to see that you don't swell 'round in her, lordin' it over me!"
"No one wants to lord it over you, Eliakim," Uncle Ben replied, quietly. "I would like to be friends with you, an' have tried from the first to lend a hand when you was needin' it——"
"I s'pose that's what you was doin' when you took my cook from me?" the captain roared.
"What I did then was to help a poor little orphan who was bein' abused, an' it was no more than my duty."
"Fine words butter no parsnips with me! I'll show you an' that mutinous hound of a Rube Rowe what comes to them that cross Eliakim Doak's path!" and with this threat the captain rowed away, the little group on the island watching until he was beyond ear-shot, when Mr. Rowe said thoughtfully: