He sprang at Tom and shoved a pistol under the boy's very nose. But before the weapon could be discharged, Dick, leaving Dora, kicked the pistol from the bully's hand! "You villain, take that!" cried Dick, and grappled with Baxter. Both rolled over on the deck, and, shoved by somebody from behind, Sam rolled on top of the pair. A second later all three rolled down the cabin stairs in a heap. "Oh, my back!" It was Baxter who uttered the cry, and not without cause, for his backbone had received a hard crack on the bottom step of the stairs. "You lie still!" commanded Dick, as he leaped to his feet. "If you dare to move I'll put you out of the fight altogether." "Don't--don't shoot me!" panted Dan Baxter in sudden fear. "Do you give in?" "Yes." "Then keep still. Sam, guard him, will you? I want to see how matters are on deck." "Yes, I'll guard him," answered the youngest Rover. The fight on deck had been short and fierce, but our friends had had the best of it from the very start, and when Dick came up he found but little for him to do. Arnold Baxter lay where he had fallen, moaning piteously, while Buddy Girk and Bill Goss were in irons. Mrs. Goss still stood at bay, flourishing her stew pan over her head, while Mumps remained at a distance, his arms folded over his breast and an anxious look in his eyes. "I won't go to prison!" shrieked Mrs. Goss. "You let me and my husband go." "Mrs. Goss, you had best give in--" began Sergeant Brown, when Tom, sneaking up behind her, snatched the stew pan from her grasp. As she turned on the boy, Carter ran in, and in a twinkle she was held and her hands were bound behind her. Then the crowd turned to Mumps. "I submit," said the misguided boy. "Didn't I tell you in the note that I would help you?" "Yes, he has tried to do better," put in Dora. "If it hadn't been for him I wouldn't have had a mouthful to eat today." "I guess we can trust him, then," said Dick. "But, Mumps, take care that you don't go back on us." "I won't go back on you," said the toady. "I'm going to cut that crowd after this." "You can't make a better move," was Dick's comment. Now that affairs were in their own hands, our friends hardly knew how to turn next. After a discussion it was agreed to place the _Flyaway_ in charge of Dick and Tom, who were also to carry Dora and Mumps. All of the others went aboard of the _Searchlight_, Arnold Baxter being carried by the police officers, who attended to his wound as well as the accommodations on board of the yacht permitted. So far nothing had been said about the money and securities stolen by Baxter and Girk, but they were in a locker in the _Flyaway's_ cabin, and easily brought to light. "This is a big day for us," said Dick. "Won't folks at home be astonished when they hear of what we have done?" "I cannot get home fast enough," said Dora. "Poor mama, if only I knew she was safe!"