Captain Bruce echoed the remark:
"I command this ship, Captain Wetherly, and the sooner you leave her the better."
Wasting no more words, Captain Jim called to his boat's crew to stand by to take him off, and said to Dan:
"Pringle is going back to his tug. You stay here. They won't dare to do you any harm. Keep your eyes and ears open."
Presently Bart followed his father on board the Henry Foster. Dan had found no chance to talk with him and he was not sorry. He was afraid Bart would ask him what Captain Jim's angry speech had meant. Already the stranding of the Kenilworth had dragged the two lads into its tangle of motives and events.
Dan was too absorbed in wondering what Captain Jim could do next to dwell long with his own troubles and perplexities. He watched the Resolute steam nearer the Kenilworth, while Captain Wetherly's deck-crew gathered around the huge coils of steel hawser on the overhang. Soon the Henry Foster wallowed closer and her men were also busy making ready to pay out a towing hawser. Dan could not understand how Captain Jim was going to get his line aboard the Kenilworth, and he breathlessly awaited the next move.
On board the Resolute, Captain Wetherly was standing at the wheel and watching the Henry Foster with the light of battle in his gray eyes. Jerry Pringle's tug had forged ahead until she lay square in the path of the Resolute which was thus prevented from getting into position for taking hold of the steamer on the Reef.
Captain Jim pulled the whistle cord and the Resolute clamored to the other tug to move out of the way. But Mr. Pringle seemed determined to remain exactly where he was. Again and again the Resolute's whistle was sounded, but the Henry Foster refused to make room. Captain Wetherly finally growled to the mate: