It was rather an uncomfortable evening. The thoughts of each of the
party were busy. At the first opportunity Dick called old Jerry to
one side.
"Jerry, we must watch those two fellows closely," he said.
"Right ye are, Dick."
"I am afraid Lesher will be ugly when he wakes up."
"More'n likely, lad--he always was on board ship. The drink gives
him an awful temper."
"I am, going to put the liquor where he can't get it."
"He'll make ye give it to him."
"Will he? Just you wait and see," replied Dick firmly.
It was decided to let Lesher rest in the hammock all night. Baxter
was given a cot in the living room of the house. Soon all had retired,
and the camp was quiet for the night.
Dan Baxter was the first to stir in the morning. His cuts smarted so
he could not sleep, and he walked out to bathe them and put on some
salve Nellie had generously turned over to him. He found Jack Lesher
stirring.
"Hullo!" grumbled the mate, sitting up and yawning. "Where am I?"
"Don't you know we struck camp?" answered Baxter.
"Oh, yes, I remember now. Got some good liquor, too. Where is that
bottle?"
"You emptied it, Lesher."
"Did I? Too bad! I'll have to find another. Where are the girls?"
"Asleep in the house, and so are Dick Rover and old Jerry Tolman."
"What of Cap'n Blossom and them other Rover boys?"
"They are not expected back for several days."
"Humph! Say, I feel bad, I do. I must have something to brace me up."
"You'd better not disturb them, Lesher. They are mighty stiff-necked
since they landed here."
"What do you mean?"
"They gave me to understand yesterday that they were going to run
things to suit themselves. They are not going to let us interfere in
anything."
"I like that!" The mate yawned again, rose, and stretched himself.
"Baxter, do you know where they keep the liquor?"
"No."
"I'm bound to have what I want. Didn't it all come from the Golden
Wave, and aint I the first mate of that craft?"
"To be sure you are, Lesher."
"They can't make me take a back seat," went on the mate. His head
was still far from clear.
"I told them that you were second in command--Captain Blossom being
first--but they wouldn't listen. They said they were on land, and
you didn't count."
"Don't I count!" cried Jack Lesher, his blood-shot eyes taking on an
ugly look. "I'll show 'em!"
Just then old Jerry came from the house. Jack Lesher staggered toward
him.
"Ahoy there!" he called out.
"What do you want, Mr. Lesher?" questioned old Jerry, and touched
his forelock.
"Bring me some liquor, and be quick about it."
"I haven't any liquor."
"What's that?"
"I said I haven't any liquor."
"Aint there any more liquor ashore?"
"If there is, I don't know where it is."
"Then find out, and be quick about it, or I'll give you the rope's-end!"
roared the unreasonable mate.
The loud talking aroused Dick, and he soon came out.
"What's the matter here?" he asked. "Oh, so you have woke up," he
went on to Jack Lesher.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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