“How do we know you are an officer?” he demanded sternly. “This is a most atrocious action on Mr. Tarr’s part, and for all we know you may be party to it.”
The officer smiled slily, and throwing back his coat showed his badge.
“I’m a dep’ty sheriff an’ don’t you fear,” he said. “The boy must come along.”
But as he reached out to clutch Don, the big sailor seized the youth and whirled him in behind him, placing himself between the officer and his prisoner.
“Don’t be too fast,” he said.
“Do you dare resist arrest?” the officer demanded angrily.
“Nobody’s resisted you, yet.”
His huge bulk, however, barred all approach to Don, who was now between all the others and the outer door.
“If you arrest this boy you’ll seriously inconvenience our plans, an’ we’ll make you sweat for it, now I tell ye.”
“I don’t care; I’m er—goin’ ter hev him took up!” shrieked old Arad, to whom all this delay was agonizing.