The upper door leading from the engine-room was the only point at which those on deck could gain an entrance without considerable labor, and the greater portion of this being glass, he thought it possible that in the first frenzy of rage Manuel might attempt something of the kind.
Hastily dragging a couple of mattresses from the state-rooms, he placed these against the door in such a manner that they would serve as a screen to whoever might be standing there as sentinel.
“She’s ours, or, at least, the lower portion of her is, and I reckon those villains will have mighty hard work to search for treasure now!” he cried, and Vance, who had finished his task, came from the engine-room.
“Is it safe to leave things alone there?”
“Yes, there’s plenty of water in the glass, the fires are all right, and the prisoners lashed up so tight that it’ll be hard work for them to so much as wink.”
“Then we’ll notify our particular friends in the wheel-house that we don’t care about running on this course any longer,” and Ned led the way to the state-room where Roy, looking thoroughly frightened, was yet parleying with Manuel.
“Is it all right?” he asked in a whisper.
“Snug and neat a trick as you ever saw,” Ned replied, and then taking his station at the tube, he cried, “Say, my piratical friend Manuel, we’ve concluded that we don’t care to give this craft up to you without a struggle, and while Roy was talking with you to make certain you didn’t get into danger, Vance and I had an interview with your two chums below. Now we have concluded that we will shut off steam awhile, because of a very grave suspicion that the yacht is not headed for Key West.”
An exclamation of rage and astonishment could be heard by all, and then the sharp click of the cover told that the interpreter had left very suddenly to ascertain if the story was true.
“We may get a chance to shoot at him again,” Ned cried as he sprang to the barricade of mattresses. “Vance, you attend to the after companion-way, and let Roy shut off the steam. Look lively, all hands, for now is the best chance we shall have.”