Francis Lynde

“ The somber-faced little man took the blow without a murmur but I saw his dark eyes blaze with suppressed rage as Dorgan went to the after rail and once more focused his glass upon the following steamer.
The giant's prolonged scrutiny of the overtaking vessel gave me leave to do the same. One of the things field engineering does for a man is to train his eyes to long distance sight and it is quite likely that I saw as much with my naked eyes as Dorgan did with his glass. ”

“ She was the Carter yacht—the Waikiki!
I knew then that my time was upon me—and it had come some hours too soon. Briefly, the plot I had so laboriously concocted during the waking hours of the night, and had perfected later, after Dorgan had told me where the schooner was and where she was going to be, was this: with the coming of darkness I would watch for my chance of slipping into the deck-house cabin while both of the bullies were on deck and rummage for arms, which I made no doubt I should find on board of a vessel given over to the risky business of liquor smuggling. ”

“ Crouching there upon the box seat, with every drawn breath a dagger to stab me, it was not strange that I lost sight of everything but a mad determination to wreak vengeance upon the two scoundrels who for a bribe had robbed me of liberty and were making me a football to be kicked hither and yon at their pleasure. ”

“ He'll do it himself if we give him the right office. He's dead crazy to get ashore. It's my notion that there's a heap more to this shanghai business than what floated to the top o' things night afore last.”
“Well, what's the play?” Brill asked.
“Short and sweet. Along about dark we can beat up to'ard the keys and show him the land close to—short swim, we'll say. He'll fall for it and go overboard in a hurry. All he wants is a chance. And after he jumps in, the straits current'll do the rest.”
“But what if he don't jump?”
I heard Dorgan give his snarling chuckle. ”

“ Finally Brill spoke again.
“Didn't make out that smoke boat that's comin' up astern, did you?”
“Not yet,” Dorgan grunted. “She looks like one o' the Fruiters.”
“Not to me,” Brill countered. “Not enough top works. I don't like the way she's hangin' onto us.”
Dorgan swore morosely.
“Hell! You've got a streak o' the yellow a mile long! S'posin' she's anything you please; s'posin' she a revenue cutter—which she ain't. Can't nobody touch us till we get within the three-mile. There ain't nothin' to you, Isra'l, but a little bit of the know-how about handlin' a windjammer. ”

“ There was no land in sight but off the port bow I saw the smoke of a distant steamer, apparently westbound, as we were.
Far astern there was another smoke and now I understood what Dorgan had said to the news bearer in the motor boat; that in the dodging run the other was urging the schooner would be in a frequented steamer lane. That lane could be no other than the strait running between Florida—or the Florida Keys—and Cuba. What was the new destination toward which the Vesta was heading? ”

“ In such an awkward wrestling match the lighter man was naturally bound to get the worst of it. Shifting his grip in spite of all I could do to pinion his arms Dorgan finally got the body squeeze he wanted and crushed me until I made sure I could hear my ribs, crack—until the lantern-lit den turned first blood red and then black for me. And when I came to I was lying on the floor and Dorgan was starting the motor. ”

“ After a bit I heard Brill again.
“I'm nigh about dead for sleep; I reckon that's what makes me so jumpy. S'pose you could keep her from broachin' to while I turn in for a spell? West and by south's the course.”
“Sure I can!” said the giant; and knowing that this was my signal to retreat I edged away from the companion slide and was sitting in the open engine-hold hatchway again when Dorgan made his appearance on deck. ”