“It’s them!” cried Bid. “Close it—quick!”
Bang! went the hatch.
“Lock it!” cried Bid.
Peg stirred at the slamming of the hatch.
“What the dickens?…” he mumbled, awakening. “I must have been asleep.” He shook me. “Did you hear that loud thunder clap, Jerry? It woke me up.”
I was dizzy. My head ached. But I was able to think and to talk.
“It wasn’t thunder,” I told him. “It was the Strickers. They’ve captured our boat. We’re locked in.”
He gave a queer choking throat sound and started to get up.
“Ouch!” he cried, bumping his head.
“Two monkeys in a cage,” yipped Bid Stricker.