Here the conversation dropped, and Tom Tidd returned to his pipe, while Ben, congratulating himself that his unpleasant neighbor’s suspicions had not been confirmed, walked away to another part of the boat.
At ten o’clock Ben settled himself as comfortably as he could for the night. It might have been the excitement that prevented his sleeping well. At any rate he woke up from a troubled nap about midnight, and finding the atmosphere rather close, decided to go on deck for a breath of fresh air.
Walking along the starboard side of the steamer in a narrow passage lined with staterooms, his attention was attracted to a shambling figure looking into one of the rooms with his head protruding through the open window.
Instantly Ben stopped in excited attention. As the man withdrew his head for an instant and showed his side face, Ben saw that it was his country acquaintance Tom Tidd, and he understood at once that his object was robbery.
While he was standing irresolute Tom thrust in his hand, and drew out the vest of the sleeping passenger, from the pocket of which he proceeded to draw out a gold watch with a chain attached.
Without thinking of the imprudence of the step, Ben ran forward, and seizing the thief by the arm, cried in a tone of authority, “Drop that!”
Tom Tidd whirled round instantly, naturally startled, as one might well be detected in such an act.
“Oh, it’s you, you young rascal!” he exclaimed in a furious tone. “I’ll give you a lesson.”
He seized Ben in a vise-like-grip, and lifting him from the deck, prepared to throw him overboard. Ben’s heart failed him, as he saw the seething waters into which he would probably be thrown. He struggled to release himself, and gained a temporary advantage, slipping eel-like from the grasp of the burglar.
By a happy inspiration he snatched a whistle from his pocket and blew a loud blast following it up by loud cries of “Help! Murder!”