“Don’t ask questions. Come, quick!”
Bill clambered out of his bunk with alacrity as soon as he saw what was going forward. Hoeseason, who had been, luckily for Jack, slightly stunned by the fall, lay still. In his fall the knife had flown from his hand and lay half-way across the cabin.
“The knife, Bill,” panted Jack, “the knife before he comes to. I dare not take chances with him.”
Bill quickly fetched the weapon.
“So he did try to rob us after all,” he said. “The precious ruffian, I didn’t like his looks from the start.”
“Never mind about that now, Bill, but hustle and get some rope. We must tie him, for when he comes out of this he’ll be a match for the two of us.”
There were plenty of odd bits of rope lying about the cabin on lockers that ran down one side of it. Bill procured several lengths, and in a few moments, the semi-conscious giant was bound hand and foot.
In the meantime, Jack fastened the money belt round his waist once more.
“I wish we had pistols,” he said, as they stood watching the slow return of consciousness to the bound captain’s face.
“Why, this fellow is harmless now,” rejoined Bill.