The captain came up, puffing, and shaking the water out of his eyes after the fashion of an expert swimmer. The water had somewhat cooled his ambition for a fight, and he looked rather meek as he swam toward the side of the boat and started to scramble up. Here he met with a surprise, however. The Comrades blocked his way, and the moment he put a hand on the rail, it was loosened by one of the boys and the captain shoved back into the water.
“You’re not goin’ to let me drown, are ye?” he demanded.
“Oh, no—not yet, at least, but before you are allowed aboard the boat, we want to hear you say that you kidnapped Ted Lanham, and that you now relinquish all claim to his services,” said Chot.
“I don’t know what his name is, but I picked him up. I had to have someone to work my boat.”
“While you could drink and sleep, eh?” demanded Tom. “A fine specimen of humanity, you are.”
“Oh, let up, won’t ye? I know when I’ve had enough. It was three against one, an’ no man can fight such odds.”
“Glad you realize it,” said Fleet. “Do you relinquish all claim to his services?”
“See nothin’ else to do,” he sputtered, “lemme aboard. You go your way an’ I’ll go mine. But if I ever meet ye again, look out!”
“You’ll never meet us again,” said Chot.
“Not if we see you first, anyway,” said Fleet.