"None o' yer freshness, now," cried Jim, doubling up his fists, threateningly, "er I'll mash yeh one."
"Here, here!" cried Yeager, loudly. "Don't abuse the prisoners!"
Jim looked at him in surprise.
"Why not?" he asked, as if abusing prisoners were the most natural pastime in the world.
"Because I said so," returned Yeager, bluntly. "That's why."
The deck hand appeared to meditate this unusual ruling for a moment. Then he inquired,
"When yeh goin' to shoot these Yanks, Captain?"
"Well," said the guerilla chief, hesitatingly, and stopped. Then he shot a furtive glance at the short, broad-shouldered man. The latter was sitting in a lounging attitude with his arms clasped around his knees, but his eyes were fixed steadily on Yeager.
"Well," began the Captain, again. "I ain't a-goin' to shoot 'em. I'm a-goin' to take 'em down an' turn 'em over to General Price."