"What if I don't do it?" asked Dory, laughing.
"I'll give you the biggest licking you ever had in your life. I'll pound you till you can't see out of your eyes," blustered Tom.
"You needn't wait two minutes before you begin, for I shall not put you into the boat," replied the skipper lightly. "Fill away, Matt, if you please."
Dory had seated himself in the standing-room opposite the place where he had deposited Tom when he hauled him on board. As Matt put the helm up, Tom made a spring at the skipper; but Dory was on his feet in an instant, warded off the blow of the Topover, and hit him square in the face. The yacht heeled over at this moment under the pressure of the wind, and Tom fell back into his seat.
"We won't have any fight in the boat," said Dory, picking up a reef pendant. "We will tie his hands behind him, and keep him quiet till we get rid of him."
"No you won't tie my hands behind me!" yelled Tom, boiling over with wrath.
Oscar Chester sprang upon him, and in spite of his struggles bore him down upon his back. Dory then assisted him, and between them they had no difficulty in putting the commodore in a position of non-interference.
"The fellows in the boat are hauling in on the painter," said Matt, when Dory and Oscar had disposed of the obstreperous prisoner.
"Let them haul on it," replied the skipper laughing. "They will have a nice time of it. Keep her away a little more, if you please."