“Very well; I will take care of Feathers. I will keep him in the engine-room with me,” added Forbush. “Now, Wolf, you and the three deck hands stay here. If those fellows up there attempt anything mischievous, you call me, and Feathers and I will settle it--won’t we, Feathers?” Forbush laughed till his fat sides shook, and then dragged Major Waddie to the engine-room. CHAPTER X. KEEPING THE PEACE. “Hadn’t we better let our boys out before we go ahead?” asked Captain Underwood, in a low tone, as the engineer disappeared with his prisoner. “There will be a fight if we do,” I replied. “We can land the Wimps in ten or fifteen minutes.” “What will Tommy say?” added Captain Underwood. “No matter what he says. It is better to keep the peace than to let them out.” Doubtless he fully agreed with me; but he dreaded the wrath of his employer’s son even more than the violence of the Wimpletonians. He went up to the wheel-house, and rang the bell to go ahead. The discomfited enemy on the hurricane deck were discussing the exciting topic very earnestly. It was humiliating for all of them to lay down their arms, practically, on account of the capture of their leader. Ben Pinkerton was in favor of fighting it out, and rescuing Waddie from the gripe of his persecutor by force and arms; but timid counsels finally prevailed, and the battalion kept quiet. I had gone up the ladder when the boat started, so that I could see what they were doing, and hear what they were saying; but I kept my line of retreat open, so that I could make for the forward deck if a storm appeared. It was only a short run to North Point, and we soon made the landing at a rude pier, erected for passengers going to an interior town. As soon as the steamer was made fast, Forbush appeared on the forward deck, dragging Waddie by the collar, and carrying the sword in his hand. Taking position in the bow of the boat, where he could not be assaulted in the rear, the engineer planted his prisoner in front of him, while the deck hands, reënforced by the fireman and myself, formed a line between him and the gangway. “Now, Feathers, if your men are good soldiers they will obey you,” Forbush began. “Just give them the order to march down in single file, and go ashore!” Waddie was humiliated by his defeat. He was ashamed to confess, practically, that the battalion had been defeated by his regard for his own safety. But he was still in the power of the fierce engineer, whose bloody hand was upon his throat. He hesitated; but every instant of delay caused Forbush to tighten his hold, and it was painfully apparent to him that he must give the order, or be choked by his unrelenting tyrant. “Speak, Feathers, speak!” said the engineer. “Give your orders, and speak up like a man, so that they can hear you!” “Don’t! Don’t! You hurt me!” whined the major. “That’s nothing to what will come if you don’t do as I tell you.”