A Sailor Boy with Dewey. Stratemeyer Edward

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СКАЧАТЬ now—I never get—hic—drunk. I place you under arrest. Yarson, Carden, conduct the two passengers to the—hic—brig and lock 'em in."

      "Keep your hands off!" I exclaimed. "Don't you dare to touch me!"

      "And don't you dare to touch me," added Dan.

      We had scarcely spoken than Captain Kenny withdrew his right hand from his pocket and showed us the muzzle of a revolver.

      "You'll—hic—obey or take the consequences," he hiccoughed. "I'm a peaceful man ​until I'm aroused, and then——" Another hiccough ended the sentence.

      I must say that I was both alarmed and disgusted, but my disgust was greater than my alarm, for I knew I had right on my side and was willing to wager that in his present condition Captain Kenny could not hit the broadside of a barn, excepting by accident.

      The two sailors advanced, but they came on slowly, evidently having no relish for the job at hand. When the Swede attempted to take hold of me I flung him off.

      "Stand back!" I said, and at the same time Dan motioned Garden to keep his distance.

      "Are you going to do as I ordered?" fumed the captain.

      "I vos reatty to opey orders, captain," said Yarson.

      "So am I, cap'n, if you say it's all right," added Carden.

      "It is all—hic—right. Arrest 'em—arrest 'em on the spot!" vociferated the skipper of the Dart.

      "You keep your distance," I ordered. "If you don't it will be the worse for you."

      "The first man who touches me will get knocked down," said Dan, and caught up a marline spike which hung by the mast.

      "Captain, I think we really ought to look to ​those sails," pleaded Dawson, taking hold of his chief's arm. "It won't do to lose 'em, you know."

      "Didn't I say I'd take care of 'em when I'm—hic—through with these fellows?" was the surly return. "Stand back, Dawson!" and now the captain rushed forward and leveled his pistol at my head. "You march to the brig, and be quick about it, or I'll——"

      What Captain Kenny would have done, had I refused to march as ordered, I never learned, for while he was speaking Dan made a rush forward and caught the pistol from his hand and sent him flat on his back, in the bargain. Then my companion stepped to my side, and both of us backed up toward the companion way.

      For fully a minute Captain Kenny lay where he had fallen, nobody caring to go to his assistance. Then he cried loudly to the sailors to help him get up, and they did so. In the meantime Tom Dawson stood by, scratching his head in perplexity.

      "Captain, we must attend to the sails," he began, when there came a sudden puff of air, and the Dart seemed to fairly stand up on ends. I had to catch hold of the companion way rail to keep from falling, and Dan held on, too. Captain Kenny collapsed and went sliding into the mainmast, and then toward the lee rail.

      ​"Save me!" he yelled, when he felt that he could not help himself. "Save me!" And Dawson and the American sailor immediately ran to his assistance.

      It was all I could do now to save myself from being thrown down the companion way, and for the time being I lost interest in Captain Kenny. "This is awful!" I said to Dan. "I believe we are in for another hurricane."

      "The fools ought to take in every rag of canvas," was the reply. "Tom Dawson hasn't any backbone, or he'd take matters in his own hands."

      "Let us go below," I went on, as a wave swept the deck, drenching us both. "There is no use of remaining here."

      Dan tumbled down the companion way and into the cabin, and I came after him, stumbling over an empty rum bottle which was rolling over the floor. From the cabin we went to our stateroom, to see that the port was tightly closed.

      "I think I'll keep this pistol until we reach Manila," observed my companion. "You know I haven't any weapon of my own. I wish I had some extra cartridges."

      "Perhaps the caliber of my pistol is the same as Captain Kenny's weapon," I suggested, and produced my little six-shooter. Both pistols ​used the same size of cartridge, and I divided a box of those articles between us, and shoved my share and my revolver in my pocket.

      We now heard a hurried tramping on deck, and soon the creaking of blocks as the main and mizzen courses came down on the run. Soon every rag of canvas was furled, this being done by Dawson's directions, as I afterward learned. Captain Kenny having been knocked partly unconscious by his tumble upon the lee rail.

      A half hour went by, a time that to Dan and I seemed an age. The Dart tumbled and tossed, and it was all we could do to keep from having our brains dashed out against the stateroom walls.

      "We would have done much better had we taken a steamer to Manila," I remarked, when the hurricane seemed to be at its height. "If we get out of this storm we have still our row with the captain to be settled up."

      "Never mind, Oliver, we ought to reach Manila in a couple of days. If the captain attempts to arrest us again, I'll give him warning that I'll have him up before the court at the first landing we make."

      "He ought to have his vessel taken away from him. Do you suppose the owners would keep him in command if they knew of his habits?"

      ​"As it happens he owns a one-fourth interest in the Dart, and his contract says he shall be skipper, so Dawson told me," answered Dan. "I'll wager Dawson will have a story to tell when he comes below. My, what a sea must be running!" And my companion swung forward and back with the motion of the schooner. "And see how dark it is getting!"

      It was so gloomy we could scarcely see each other. It had now begun to lighten and thunder, while the rain came down in perfect sheets. We huddled together, as if feeling instinctively that something out of the ordinary was about to occur.

      And it did occur a moment later. A clap of thunder had just rolled away when there came a cry from the deck, so appalling that it could be distinctly heard above the fury of the elements.

      "Ship, ahoy! Don't run us down!"

      The cry was followed by a tearing, grinding, sickening crash that I shall never forget. The crash threw me headlong and I lay at Dan's feet for several seconds, completely dazed.

      ​

      CHAPTER III.

      IN WHICH DAN AND I BECOME SEPARATED.

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       "We are struck, Oliver, get up!"

      "Oh, my head!" I groaned, for I had struck the stateroom wall a blow by no means gentle.

      "We must get on deck!" urged my companion. "We have run into another ship and may be sinking!"

      Collecting my scattered senses as best I could, I arose and caught Dan by the arm. Soon we were mounting the companion-way stairs, two steps at a time. As we emerged into СКАЧАТЬ