When Frank recovered consciousness he discovered that he was bound with
stout cords and was being carried by two men. One of the men stumbled
and swore. The other said:
“It’s not much farther to the boat.”
“This feller is heavy,” said the one who had stumbled. “An’ he’s ther
blamedest fighter I ever saw. If I hadn’t cracked him on the head with a
stun he’d done you up.”
“I slipped. That was the way he got the best of me.”
“Bah! He was more than a match for you.”
“He is a boy.”
“He’s wuss’n any man I ever tackled. He fit like a tiger.”
“Well we’ve got him now, and I will settle my score with him.”
Frank knew the voice of the last speaker, and he realized that he was in
the power of a man who had become his fiercest enemy—Parker Flynn.
As they carried him, Frank strained at the cords that held his wrists,
but they held fast, showing that the men had tied him securely. They did
not feel him straining, for they were stumbling over the rough ground,
slowly picking their way through the darkness. They passed through some
cedars, and the branches slapped the captive in the face.
Frank thought of crying for help, but something told him that it would
be useless to make an outcry. He remembered that Hodge had been cast
from the rocks into the water of the little cove, from which the launch
and the two lads left in charge of it had disappeared.
What had become of Diamond and Dustan? Had they been assailed and
overcome while Frank and Bart were exploring the island? Merriwell
feared so.
The wind rushed through the cedars, and the surf beat against the island
with a roar that seemed growing louder and louder. Clouds were in the
sky, and the stars were being blotted out.
“Storm comin’,” said one of the men. “We ain’t anchored in a very good
place, either.”
“We’ll move,” said Flynn’s voice.
“Not to-night.”
“Yes.”
“Can’t do it.”
“Why not?”
“Well, you don’t know but a blamed little about this bay, fer ye
wouldn’t ask that question if ye did. It’s full of ledges, and I don’t
want to take the chance of pilin’ the yacht onter one of ’em.”
“I thought you said you knew every inch of both bays?”
“I did.”
“Then you can sail the yacht out of here to-night.”
“I want daylight to do that.”
“I will chance it. We must get away to-night.”
“Why?”
“The chaps we had the tussle with have friends near.”
“I s’pose so.”
“Those friends will be looking for Merriwell and the other fellow before
long.”
“That’s likely.”
“They may find the other fellow floating in the water, but I don’t want
them to find Merriwell or know what became of him. He will disappear
this night. If the fish do not eat him, his body may be found floating
in the bay some time.”
Frank felt a chill run along his spine as he heard the cold-blooded
words of his enemy.
“I didn’t hire out to do no killin’, or have any hand in it,” said
Flynn’s companion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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