"I didn't say that, but I did say that Lesher Shouldn't have all he wanted," replied the captain. "This sort of talk made most of the sailors wild," went on Gibson. "Then Lesher made a speech to them, and they voted to stick by him through thick and thin and not let you rule them. He promised them all the liquor they wanted, and told them that if they stuck by him the whole lot could swear in court that they had found the wreck deserted, so that they could get whatever was coming in the way of salvage. Then he handed around some liquor he had brought along, and some pistols, and most of them said they would stick to him, as I said before." "What about going directly to the wreck?" asked Tom. "That was Baxter's idea, and it wasn't thought of until we were on our way to this spot. Baxter said that if we captured the ship we would have you at our mercy, for sooner or later your provisions would run out, and you'd be begging for something to eat." "The scoundrel!" cried Dick. "So he thought to starve us into submission, eh? Well, he shan't do it." "I said I didn't think it would be fair on the young ladies," continued Gibson. "But he told me he'd take care of the girls after he had brought you to your knees." "He'll never take care of me!" cried Dora. "Nor me!" came from Nellie. "I'd rather die than leave this place in Dan Baxter's company," added Grace. "Captain, I want you to understand that Gibson and I didn't agree to what they wanted to do," came from Marny. "But we were overruled, and we had to hold our tongues for fear of being knocked down or shot." "Do you want to join our crowd?" asked Dick bluntly. "We do, and if you'll take us in we'll promise to stand by you to the end, no matter what comes. We know they've got the best of it--having the ship's stores--but we don't care for that. They are a drunken, good-for-nothing crowd, and we are done with them." "All right, men, I think we can trust you," said Captain Blossom. "It's a pity that Hackenhaven was lost overboard and eat up by the sharks. We could rather have spared Lesher." "Or Dan Baxter," observed Tom. "With three gone they have but eight men left on the wreck," said Sam. "And we now number seven men and three ladies. If we stand our ground, I can't see as we have much to fear from them." "It will be all right so long as they keep their distance," said Captain Blossom. "But if they come over here in a body when they are half full of drink, there is sure to be a row and probably some shooting. Still, we needn't try to meet trouble halfway." The sailors gave some more of the details of their doings while in Lesher's company, and then they were provided with additional clothing, and each was given a pistol and some ammunition. Nothing was said to them about the cave or the provisions stored there, Captain Blossom deeming it best to wait and make sure if they were to be thoroughly trusted.