CHAPTER XXII. "NOT JUST YET, STETSON!"
Ralph was interrupted in his reverie by the sound of a swift, cat-likefootfall behind him. He was conscious of a sudden thrill that was notexactly fear but rather apprehension, as whoever was pussy-footingthrough the dark cock-pit drew closer.
No man on an honest errand, as he well knew, would have adopted thatstealthy method of approach. For an instant Ralph regretted that he wasnot armed. But it was only a momentary thought.
He turned his eyes, till out of their corners he could see a dark formdrawing close to his chair.
Ralph gave no sign that he had heard anything unusual. He kept his gazeapparently riveted on the shore and sat motionless, without the quiverof a muscle. But for all his seeming calmness, he sensed that a crisisof some kind had arrived.
Then out of the darkness emerged the figure of Malvin. The man was avery different being from the obsequious creature he had hithertoappeared to be. His voice rang harsh and stridently and in his handRalph could catch the glint of a pistol.
The weapon was aimed at the boy's head.
"See here, Stetson," the fellow grated, "you're alone on this boat andin my power. Are you going to do what I say without making trouble?"
Ralph did not turn. There was not the flicker of an eyelid to show thegreat bound his heart had given as he realized his situation. ThatMalvin was a desperate man, the boy knew well enough; but just the same,he had not believed that the man would ever dream of adopting thetactics he had now assumed.
"Well?"
Malvin's grating voice, a very different one from the honeyed accents hehad hitherto used to address the young commander, came again in tones ofimpatient interrogation.
"Supposing, as commander of this boat, I don't choose to take ordersfrom you?" questioned Ralph.
"In that case, jig is up for you, young fellow."
"Going to kill me?" asked Ralph without a quiver in his voice, althougha very unpleasant feeling had taken possession of him.
He felt that Malvin meant what he said. And he was in the fellow's powerabsolutely.
"Yes," spoke Malvin. "I mean to use this little piece of hardwareunless----"
He paused as if uncertain of his next words.
"He's nervous," thought Ralph, "he doesn't like this job. He's doing itat the orders of somebody else, probably Hawke, who appears to exercisean influence over him."
"Well, unless?" asked the boy aloud.
"Unless you obey orders absolutely. Just as I have had to obey yourorders since you sneaked your way into command of this craft."
"You forget that this is my father's boat," reminded Ralph.
"Yes, your father," sneered Malvin. "Your father, who is in jail inMontreal!"
"So you know that?" cried Ralph, startled out of his assumed calm.
"Know it? Why, yes. Men with whom I am associated engineered his arrest.Cleverly done, wasn't it?"
"You contemptible sneak!" burst out Ralph. "So it was your gang that didthis?"
"I don't see any reason to deny it. We wanted him out of the way andsent that message summoning him to Montreal. Once there, our agents sawto it that he was put where he wouldn't trouble us for a while."
Words failed Ralph utterly. He saw red for a minute. But almostsimultaneously he steadied his nerves to meet the crisis.
"I may as well tell you, Malvin," he said, "that it will pay you betterin the long run to desert these men with whom you are associated andarray yourself upon the side of law and order. Do this and I'll promiseyou that, when the authorities descend upon you, I will do what I can tomake things easier for you."
It was a forlorn hope and--it failed.
Malvin hesitated for one instant, and Ralph's mind swung pendulum-wisebetween hope and apprehension. But the man's next words showed him thatMalvin was irrevocably tied to the diamond smugglers.
"As if I'd be fool enough to listen to such stuff!" he sneered. "Comenow, youngster; no more nonsense. We know what your two chums wentashore for. To get the authorities, didn't they?"
"Since you must have it, they did," shot out Ralph.
"I thought so. We know every move you have made. Now you're going tolearn that it doesn't pay to butt in where you are not wanted."
"What are you going to do?" demanded Ralph.
"Get right out of here with this boat. You'll work her out. Do youunderstand?"
"Your words don't admit of any misconstruction," was the calm reply.
"Mosey up on the bridge, then. Look sharp! Do you hear?"
"I hear. Suppose I don't choose to obey?"
"In that case----"
Malvin emphasized this with a poke in the ribs from the revolver.
"See here, Malvin," asked Ralph, eying the fellow without flinching,"have you been drinking to-night, or are you simply ill-advised by badcompanions?"
"No more trifling," warned Malvin sullenly. "You've robbed me of my jobas commander of this boat. Not content with that, you've tried tointerfere with my business. Do what I say at once, or let me give you astraight warning. You're playing with your life."
Ralph tried another tack.
"Well," he said, "of course I don't want to get shot. Let's get down tocases. What do you want me to do?"
"Navigate this boat out of here. Hansen and--and--somebody else willattend to the engines."
"The somebody else being the man who put the sand in ourcarburetors--Hawke."
Malvin was perceptibly startled.
"Hawke! What do you know about him?" he demanded.
"Oh, quite a good deal. You're a fool to travel with such a man, Malvin.We met him on Windmill Island. We know that you picked him up there andhave kept him concealed on the _River Swallow_. I more than suspect,moreover, that he is a certain notorious diamond smuggler for whom theauthorities on both sides of the border have their nets spread. Is thatenough?"
"Yes, it's more than enough. You're too flip. Now get up on that bridgeor take the consequences."
"All right. Tell your men to get the anchor up."
Malvin uttered a peculiar whistle. It must have been a signal, for theclank of the windlass was heard almost immediately. The _River Swallow_began to swing her bow as the current turned her down river.
Again came a whistle from Malvin and the engines began to rumble andshake the craft with their revolutions. They were running "free." Thatis, the clutch that caused them to engage the shafts had not yet been"thrown."
Ralph had a plan in his mind. It was a desperate chance to take, but hisseemingly ready agreement with Malvin's orders had proceeded from thissame wild plan he had suddenly formed.
"Get up on that bridge. Remember, I'm behind you. One false moveand----"
Malvin did not finish the sentence. He did not need to. His tone wassufficiently eloquent.
The boy ascended the few steps that led to the bridge. Malvin was rightbehind him. Ralph could see in his mind's eye that menacing pistol heldclose to the small of his back.
They reached the bridge. The moment for Ralph's plan to be put intoexecution had arrived.
He turned swiftly.
"Look!" he cried. "There comes a boat--a customs house boat!"
Malvin, startled, off his guard, turned his head for an instant towardthe shore.
With a loud cry, Ralph leaped for the man. He seized his pistol wristand wrenched it backward. Then he threw himself on the fellow with thewhole force of his vigorous young strength.
As Malvin crashed backward down the steps, Ralph leaped for thepneumatic whistle. It was operated by a lever.
"Now for a police call!" he exclaimed pantingly as he grasped it. Inanother moment a cry for aid would have gone shrieking out from the_River Swallow's_ siren.
Ralph's fingers trembled on the lever and he had just given it the firstmove toward him when something happened.
He felt himself seized from behind in a powerful grasp and his armspinioned to his side.
"Thought you'd get
the police, eh?" snarled a voice in his ear. "Notjust yet, Stetson."