“I’ll never forget this, Wolf,” said he. “I will not, as true as I live.”
“We haven’t got out of the scrape yet. Pick up that stick, and keep close to me. We must fight it out now.”
“I’ll fight as long as I can stand,” he replied resolutely.
The fellow with the gruff voice swore like a pirate when he saw that Waddie was free, and he and his companion immediately gave chase to us. I had no longer any reason to fight, and I was not disposed to do so, except in self-defense; but I was determined to bring off Waddie unharmed, whatever happened.
We made a détour toward my boat, closely pursued by the two ruffians, now foaming with rage at the failure of their wicked scheme. We outran them, and soon had placed a sufficient distance between us and them to justify a halt. But we were not a great way from the boat.
“What has become of the other two fellows?” asked Waddie, puffing under the exhaustion of his hard run.
“They are safe,” I replied; and involuntarily I put my hand into my pocket, to search for the key of the padlock on the cabin slide.
“Where are they?”
“In my boat, locked up in the cabin.”
I continued to fumble in my pockets for the key; but I could not find it, and the conclusion was forced upon me that I had stupidly left it in the lock. If my two guards could not release themselves, this service could easily be performed by their associates. I had made a bad mistake; though, after all, the blunder would only save them the trouble of breaking the lock, and otherwise damaging the boat.