The Rover Boys in Southern Waters: or, The Deserted Steam Yacht

CHAPTER XXV
ONE PLOT AND ANOTHER

"We've got the water for you," said Sack Todd. "We don't know as you deserve it, but we don't want to be mean."

As he spoke he and Gasper Pold held down a jug containing not more than two quarts.

"Not a very big supply," grumbled Tom. "We'll want a good deal more down here. This is a regular sweatbox."

"You don't have to stay any longer than you wish," answered the ex-counterfeiter, with a sickly grin.

"Ven do ve git somedings to eat?" asked Hans.

"In the morning."

This was all those above said, and soon the hatch was shut down and fastened and Todd and Pold walked slowly away.

"They didn't seem to care much whether we surrendered or not," remarked Sam.

"That makes me more suspicious than ever," answered Dick. "Boys, Dan Baxter may have been acting on the square after all."

"Catch Dan doing that!" retorted Tom. "Why, it isn't in him, Dick."

"I don't know about that. He is bad, I know, but he may not be as much of a villain as these men are. I am going to examine the contents of this jug."

All gathered around while Dick cleaned out the tumbler and then filled it with the liquid from the jug. The water looked fairly clear, although presently something like oil began to float on top. Dick put his tongue to this and found it sweetish-bitter.

"This has certainly been dosed," said the eldest Rover. "I wouldn't take a drink of it for a good deal."

"Then Baxter must have told the truth," said Sam. "I think I know how the matter stands. Baxter got scared at what the men wanted to do, and so started in to head them off. I believe I'll take a small drink of that other water."

He did so, and the others followed, nobody, however, drinking more than half a tumbler of the liquid. This served to quench the worst of their thirst.

"Later on, if the water doesn't affect us, we can drink more," said Tom. "If Dan Baxter really did mean well it's a great credit to him, no matter how bad he is otherwise."

All sat down and talked in low tones. The night was now well advanced, yet nobody felt like sleeping. Suddenly Dick leaped up, considerably excited.

"I've got it, fellows! Maybe we can outwit them at their own game," he cried.

"How?" asked the others.

"Perhaps that water was drugged and was given to us to put us to sleep. If we pretend to be overcome it may throw them off their guard, and that will give us another chance to gain possession of the vessel. What do you say if we lie down and pretend to be asleep when they open the hatch?"

"All right, I am willing," answered Tom. "There is no excitement in being cooped up in this hot place. Tell you what I'll do, to force matters. You lie down and begin to snore and I'll pull the whistle. Then, when they come, I'll demand to know what is wrong with you and pitch over myself. Then we can see what happens next."

So it was arranged, and half an hour later Sam, Dick, and Hans stretched out on the engineroom floor as if completely dead to the world. Then Tom gave the whistle half a dozen sharp tugs. This brought Todd, Pold, Jeffers, and Dan Baxter to the hatchway in a hurry.

"What's the row?" demanded Gasper Pold, looking down curiously.

"My brothers," came thickly from Tom, as he reeled around. "What did you – you – do to them? My head – like – top! You – must – must – Oh!" And then Tom sank down on a bench, slipped to the floor, and lay beside Sam.

"He's poisoned!" shrieked Dan Baxter, and his face grew as white as a sheet.

"Shut up!" muttered Sack Todd. "The dose won't kill him."

"Reckon they are all laid out," was Gasper Pold's comment, as he peered down the hatchway. "I'll go down and make sure." And he passed down the iron ladder, pistol in hand.

"How about it?" came from the mate of the Dogstar.

"Stiff as corpses," was the brutal answer. "I tell you, that dope did the business."

"Are any of them dead?" asked Dan Baxter, hoarsely.

"I don't think so," was the careless answer. "No, they are all breathing," went on Pold.

Sack Todd came down, followed by the mate of the Dogstar, and all gazed coldly at the four youths lying on the hard floor around the machinery. Dan Baxter remained at the top of the ladder, shaking as if with the palsy.

"How long do you calculate they'll remain in this condition?" asked Todd, turning to Pold.

"Ten or twelve hours at least," was the answer. "And maybe they won't get over it for twenty-four."

"Any bad effects?"

"Well, sometimes that dope paralyzes a man's tongue for six months or a year."

"Phew! That's pretty rough."

"Once in a great while the paralysis doesn't go away at all."

"In that case, these boys will have it in for you, – if they ever get their hands on you," said Sid Jeffers, with a wicked leer.

The men talked among themselves for several minutes and then agreed to take the boys up on deck and place them in two of the staterooms off the cabin.

"They'll have to have more air than here," said Gasper Pold. "Otherwise they'll surely die on our hands."

Dan Baxter was called on to assist, and did so with his knees fairly shaking together. He thought that our friends had surely drank of the dosed water and were in a stupor next to death.

"And if they die, they'll say I was as guilty as the rest!" he groaned to himself. "Oh, I wish I was out of this!"

It was no easy matter to get the three Rovers and Hans on deck and to the staterooms. Here our friends were placed two on a berth, and, for the time being, left to themselves.

"Boys, we have had a narrow escape," whispered Dick, when he at last thought it safe to speak.

"That's the truth," came from Sam. "And we have Dan Baxter to thank for it!" he added. "I can't understand that part of it."

"I think I can," answered Tom. "Baxter is bad enough, but he didn't go in for poisoning us. I am glad to know he isn't quite so heartless as that."

"Dem fellers ought to be all hung, ain't it!" was Hans' comment.

"The question is, What are we to do next?" asked Tom.

"That question is not so easily answered," returned his elder brother.

"I know what I should like to do."

"What, Dick?" asked Sam.

"I'd like to make all of the gang prisoners."

"Exactly!" exclaimed Tom, in a low voice. "But can it be done?"

"I don't know. For the present let us play 'possum and find out."

"Vot kind of a game vos dot possum?" asked Hans innocently. "I ton't dink we got dime to play some games," he added, seriously.

"Dick means to lay low," explained Sam.

"Vot, lay under der peds?"

"No, keep quiet and watch out."

"Oh! All right, I done me dot kvick enough," said Hans, and fell back on the berth and shut his eyes.

"You fellows keep quiet while I investigate," said the eldest Rover. "It is so late some of the crowd may have gone to sleep. If so, we may have a chance to capture the others first."

So it was arranged, and making certain that his pistol was still in his pocket, Dick slid from the berth, tiptoed his way to the stateroom door, and, opening it slowly and cautiously, peered out.

One look into the cabin of the Mermaid told him the apartment was empty. There were two more staterooms, connected, as were those the boys were occupying. With a heart that beat rather violently, Dick stepped to the door of one of these staterooms. From within came a deep and regular snoring.

"Somebody is asleep in there," he mused. "Who can it be?"

With great care he peered into the room. On the berth rested one of the sailors from the Dogstar and on the floor rested the other, both evidently much the worse for liquor.

The door to the second stateroom was wide open and Dick caught sight of a form on the berth in there. It was Dan Baxter. The bully was not asleep but was tossing about, as if in either mental or physical distress. As Dick looked at him he suddenly started up, turned around, and stared.

"Dick Rover!" he screamed. "Are you alive, or is it a – a ghost?"

CHAPTER XXVI
TURNING THE TABLES

"Be quiet, Baxter," said Dick, softly but firmly. "Don't you dare to make another sound."

"I – I thought you were – were – asleep," faltered the former bully of Putnam Hall. "That you – "

"That he had drank the poisoned water, eh?"

"Ye – es."

"We did not. We took your advice and left it alone."

"Then when they brought you up out of the engine room – "

"We were shamming, that's all. But I haven't got time to explain everything, Baxter. Where are the others?"

"On deck, or down in the engine room, I guess – all but the two beasts in there," and Baxter pointed to the overcome sailors.

"What brought you in here? Were you going to sleep?"

"Sleep! I – I couldn't sleep, Dick; honestly I couldn't!"

"Why?"

"Because I – I – But what's the use, you won't believe me." And Dan Baxter hung his head for a moment.

"Maybe I will. Tell me why."

"I came away from them because I was sick of their doings, that's why. I – I am sick of all of it, – sick in body and in mind, too."

"You didn't want to see us doped, as they call it?"

"No! no!"

"And that is why you warned us and gave us that good water?"

"Yes."

"Dan, you're a little bit more of a real man than I thought you were.

I thought you were willing to do anything against me and my brothers."

"Well, I was once, but now – But what's the use of talking, you won't believe me. And why should you? I've been against you ever since we first met."

"That's the straight truth, Dan, and you've done some pretty mean and desperate things."

"I don't know why I did them, Dick – honestly I don't. Lots of times I knew you and your brothers were right and I was wrong. But the Old Nick got in me and I – well, you know how I acted. Now I'm an outcast – nobody decent wants to have anything to do with me. Even my own father – " Dan Baxter stopped short.

"See here, Dan, I haven't time to talk now," said Dick, after a short and painful pause. "I didn't expect this of you. The whole question just now is this, Are you going to fight or keep quiet?"

"Are you going to fight those others?"

"Yes, if it becomes necessary."

"I don't want to fight any more."

"Then will you keep quiet?"

"I will. But, Dick – "

"Well?"

"If you capture those men, are you going to hand them over to the police?"

"Certainly."

"And hand me over, too?" And again Dan Baxter hung his head.

"Don't you deserve it?"

"I suppose so. And still I – er – I thought you might give me another chance. Oh, that's what I want, another chance! You know how my father has reformed. I want to reform, too. I want to go away somewhere and begin all over again."

"Dan, come with me."

"Where to?"

"To the others. You can talk with them while I take a look on deck."

The former bully of Putnam Hall demurred but Dick insisted, and soon the pair had joined Sam, Tom, and Hans.

"Talk to him," said Dick. "I'll be back soon," and then he left and made his way up the companionway to the deck of the steam yacht.

His heart was in a strange tumult. That Dan Baxter should want to reform was a surprise of which he had never dreamed. Could the former bully be playing a part?

"He's sly enough," he reasoned. "And yet his eyes had a look in them that I never saw before. He looked like a worried wild animal, that doesn't know how to turn or what to do. He's down here all alone among strangers, and evidently he has found out that Sack Todd and the rest aren't his sort. Well, if he wants to reform I shan't put anything in his way. But I am not going to give him too much rope – just yet."

Having gained the deck of the vessel, Dick looked around cautiously. It was a dark night, the stars being hidden by clouds. He crept along slowly.

"Well, you'll have to give me a pointer or two about the engine,"

Dick heard Sack Todd exclaim. "I thought I knew how to run it, but I reckon I was mistaken."

"Oh, why not let that go just now," growled the mate of the Dogstarin return. "We've got to make sure of those boys first, and get some sleep, too."

"It won't take but a few minutes to explain about the engine," said Gasper Pold. "I ran one once for six weeks."

"Seems to me you have dabbled in a little bit of everything," observed Sack Todd.

"So I have."

The three men were near the pilot house, but came away and started for the hatchway leading down into the engine room. They had to pass close to where Dick was crouching and the eldest Rover hardly dared to breathe, so fearful was he of discovery.

Presently Dick saw the three men go down the iron ladder, one after another. As they did this, a sudden idea came into his head.

"I'll do it!" he told himself, and sneaked forward with the silence and quickness of a cat.

The hatch still lay beside the opening, with the hooks that had been used to fasten it down. It was heavy and Dick wondered if he could move and fasten it quick enough.

"I wish Sam or Tom was here to help me," he thought.

As he started to raise the hatch a sudden puff of wind made the mast creak loudly. This alarmed the men below and Sack Todd started up the ladder.

"We ought to have somebody on guard," he said, so loudly that Dick heard him. "I don't trust that Baxter very much."

"All right," answered Gasper Pold. "You go to the cabin, and – "

He broke off short as a cry came from Sack Todd. The ex-counterfeiter had caught sight of Dick as the latter was raising the hatch to drop it in place.

"Hi!" yelled Sack Todd, and then let out a scream as the hatch hit him on the head.

"Down you go!" answered Dick and leaped on top of the hatch to force it into place. One of Sack Todd's fingers was caught and pinched and he let out another yell. But he kept his footing on the iron ladder and thus held the hatch up several inches.

"What's up?" came from Sid Jeffers.

"They are trying to shut the hatch! Help me!"

"What!" roared Gasper Pold, and sprang up beside the ex-counterfeiter.

"Tom! Sam! Hans!" yelled Dick, at the top of his lungs. "Help! Quick!"

He continued to call out and at the same time did all in his power to force the hatch into place. He was sprawled on top, and no sooner did he get one end down than the other bobbed up. Then he heard Gasper Pold cry out:

"Look out! I am going to fire!"

"Don't hit me," cautioned Sack Todd.

"If you fire, so will I," answered Dick, "and you'll get the worst of it."

"Hang the luck! We didn't disarm them!" muttered Pold.

By this time Tom was coming up on deck, followed by Sam. Hans was told to remain behind, to keep his eyes on Dan Baxter.

As soon as Sam and Tom saw the situation they leaped to Dick's assistance. Tom saw Sack Todd's shoulder under the hatch and gave it a vigorous kick. This caused the man to lose his balance on the iron ladder and he went down a step. At the same time Gasper Pold fired.

"Oh, I am hit!" groaned the ex-counterfeiter, and fell in a heap on the head of Sid Jeffers. Then the hatch came into place with a thud and in a twinkling the three Rovers secured it.

"We have them! We have them!" cried Sam, in delight. "Good for you, Dick! That was a clever move."

"Run down and make certain that other door is fast," said Dick, and away went Sam with Tom at his heels. They came back in less than two minutes.

"It's fast," said Tom. "We've got them in as tight a box as they had us."

CHAPTER XXVII
DAN BAXTER'S REPENTANCE

The three Rover boys could scarcely believe their senses. Here they were once more in full possession of the Mermaid so far as the deck and cabin were concerned – and those who had sought to make them prisoners were prisoners themselves.

"This is where the biter got bit," remarked Tom. "Say, I feel so good I could almost dance."

"Sack Todd got shot," said Dick. "I'd like to know if it is serious."

"Well, I am not very sorry for him," said Sam. "He's a thoroughly bad egg."

"We want to make certain of Dan Baxter," went on the eldest Rover.

"He may fool Hans."

They walked toward the cabin and ran down the companionway. At the lower doorway they paused and then Tom grinned.

On one side of the room was Dan Baxter with his hands in the air. On the other side was Hans, with a pistol in each hand.

"Ton't dare to mofe," Hans was saying. "Of you do I vos put oxactly fourteen shots into your poty, ain't it!"

"I am not moving," grumbled Baxter. "Didn't I tell you I am sick of the whole thing, Dutchy? I don't want to fight, or anything."

"Tan Paxter, you chust remember dot old saying, beoples vot lif in glass houses ton't got no right to tell fish stories," answered Hans, gravely.

"Hans, that's a good one!" roared Tom, coming forward. "Say, you're a whole regiment in yourself, ain't you?"

"Yah, I vos so goot like ten or sefenteen soljers, alretty!" answered the German youth, proudly. "Paxter, he ton't got avay from me, not much!"

Hans lowered his pistols and Dan Baxter was glad enough to put down his hands. Dick glanced into the staterooms and saw that the two sailors were still sleeping heavily.

"We'll throw them down into the hold," said the eldest Rover. "That will keep them out of mischief, when they awake."

"Vot apout dem men?" asked Hans, anxiously.

"All prisoners," answered Sam.

"Prisoners!" ejaculated Dan Baxter.

"Yes, Dan, they are prisoners, down in the engine room," answered Dick. "We've given them the same dose they gave us."

"Then you are in possession once more?"

"Yes – as far as it goes. And I want to talk to you as soon as we've disposed of these sailors," added Dick.

"Shall I help you carry them out?"

"Do you want to?"

"If you wish it."

"Mind you, I don't want any trick played, Dan."

"I won't play any trick, Dick – I give you my word."

"This is a serious situation and we don't propose to take any more chances. We are on top and we mean to stay on top," added the eldest Rover.

While Hans held a lantern, the three Rovers and Dan Baxter carried the two sailors through the cabin and out on the deck. Tom was working with the former bully of Putnam Hall and declared afterward that he never felt so queer in his life. But Baxter worked with a will and did his full share of lifting.

The hatch to the hold was not far off and the men were put down without great trouble. Then the hatch was closed and fastened.

"Now, Dan, you are the only enemy we have who is at liberty," said Dick, turning to the big youth. "I want to know exactly what you propose to do."

"What I do will depend a good deal on what you do," was the somewhat low answer. "I know I am in your power. But I'd like you to remember one thing – about how I warned you not to drink the drugged water and how I brought you some good water."

"I am not going to forget that."

"That's a point to your credit, Dan," said Sam.

"If it hadn't been for that I – er – I don't know where you'd be now.

As I said before, I've been pretty bad – but not quite as bad as that."

"Do you think we ought to let you go for what you did for us?" asked Tom, who never wanted to beat about the bush.

"I don't know as you ought to do that – but I'd like you to do it. I'd like to have the chance to go away – far away – and strike out fresh. My father wants me to do it – he's written me three letters about it. He wants me to go to the Hawaiian Islands, or the Philippines, or to Australia. He says – but I don't suppose you are interested in what he writes."

"I am," answered Dick, promptly.

"He spoke of what you did for him and he says I – well, I ought to be ashamed to keep up the old enmity after what happened – after you saved his life. I – er – I guess he's right – and I am sick of it all."

"Well, I hope you stay sick of it – I mean sick of doing wrong," said Sam.

"Maybe I will – I don't know and I am not going to promise. But I am sick enough of being here, among such rough men as Sack Todd and Gasper Pold and that crowd of counterfeiters that was captured. I haven't had any real comfort for months."

"I don't believe a criminal ever feels real comfortable," said Tom. "How can he, when he knows the officers of the law are constantly after him?"

"There is something in that. When I go to bed I generally dream of being caught and dragged to prison. And those men always wanted me to drink, and I don't care much for liquor."

"Then cut it out – cut it out by all means," said Dick. "You can't do better."

"And there is another thing," went on Dan Baxter. "I don't feel well – everything I eat lately goes against me, and sometimes I'm in a regular fever. I ought to rest somewhere, I suppose, and have a good doctor attend me. But I can't do anything to make me feel better chasing around like this."

After that Dan Baxter told a good deal more about himself – how he had been knocking around in all sorts of questionable places and how the dissipation had grown very distasteful to him. It had certainly ruined his health, and his eyes had a hollow, feverish look in them that made his appearance rather pitiable.

"You are certainly run down," said Dick, "and unless you take extra good care of yourself you'll be flat on your back with some serious illness. But the question still is, Dan, What are we to do with you?"

"I know what I'd like you to do."

"What?"

"Let me land somewhere where I am not known, so that the officers of the law can't get hold of me. Do that, and I'll promise to go far away and never trouble you again."

"I don't think that would be right," said Tom. "We might be willing, but we can't assist a criminal to escape – that's a crime in itself."

"Then you won't let me go?"

"Tom is right, we can't do it, legally. Personally I'd be willing to let you go," said Dick.

"So would I – if you really wanted to do better," came from Sam.

"Yah, I ton't stand in nopody's vay," added Hans. "I vos glad to see a man make a goot poy of himselluf!"

There was an awkward pause. Twice Dan Baxter started to speak and checked himself. They almost looked for one of his former wild outbreaks, but it did not come. He hung his head low.

"All right – have your way," he whispered, hoarsely, and dropped into a chair. "I am done fighting. I'll take my medicine, no matter how bitter it is."

"Perhaps we can make matters a little easy for you," said Dick, in a gentle tone. "I am sure none of us want to see you suffer – if you want to reform."

"Of course we'll be easy," said Sam, and Tom and Hans nodded.

"Well, if you'll do – What's that?"

Dan Baxter broke off short and all in the cabin listened. There was a thud and a crash, followed by another crash.

"They are trying to break out of the engine room!" yelled Dick. "Come, we must stop them!" And he started for the deck, and all of the crowd went after him.