"If I did my duty I'd have you in jail for mutiny!" Captain Doak cried threateningly. "If you mix inter this matter, I'll have a warrant out before you're a day older, Reuben Rowe!"
"Why don't you go ahead an' get your warrants, instead of makin' so much talk about it?" the sailor cried angrily. "I count on mixin' in here long enough to give you the strongest dose you ever got, an' don't you forget it! If you come ashore here I'll see to it that you don't go back in as good shape as you are now." Then in a whisper to Tom, who stood close by his side, "You two lads are to jump on Jim Coulson the minute he puts foot on the sand, without payin' any heed to me. If I can't take care of Eliakim Doak single handed, it'll serve me right to be used up."
Tom, repeating Reuben's words to Sam, ran forward to take his part in the coming battle just as Captain Doak leaped ashore, evidently bent on trying conclusions with Mr. Rowe at once, and just at this point, when it seemed as if there was no longer any possibility a fight could be averted, the second dory had come within hailing distance.
Until this moment none of those of the island had given any particular heed to her, therefore, they were really startled by hearing a friendly voice cry:
"Look out, Reuben! Don't get inter a mix-up when there's no real need of it! We've come over to see that you ain't imposed on."
"It's Uncle Ben's friend, Billy Mansfield an' he must have had an inklin' of what Eliakim was up to!" Mr. Rowe said to the lads in a tone of relief. "I reckon there won't be any great amount of mischief done this day!"
"What are you doin' here?" Captain Doak cried savagely, wheeling about to face the newcomers as if he was only at this moment aware of their neighborhood. "I'll have you understand that the man who comes agin' me this day is like to get all that's needed!"
"Don't make the mistake of threatenin', Eliakim Doak!" Mr. Mansfield cried warningly. "It may be that we've come over to have a share in the launchin', seein's how there ain't much goin' on in the Port to-day, an' then ag'in perhaps we tailed on knowin' you was bent on mischief, an' countin' to lend Uncle Ben a hand. Since you've begun to threaten, it may be well if I give you notice here an' now, that you're to keep away from this island. We at the Port have made up our minds that you've got to live somewhere near decent from this on, or leave our part of the country."
By this time Mr. Mansfield and his friends had stepped ashore from their dory and were standing between the former owner of the "Sally D." and the defenders of the island, showing by their attitude that they were ready to lend a hand against the two who were plotting mischief.
"I've come here for my schooner, an' count on havin' her," Captain Doak cried in a voice hoarse with passion. "You an' half a dozen like you did what you could to cheat me out of the vessel, an' it'll be a sorry day when you go any further in sich fraud."