CHAPTER XXIII
DEFIANCE
Tom, a bound prisoner, watched the insolent professor who sat facinghim. The latter had on his face a sneer of triumph, but mingled withit, as Tom could note, was a look that had in it not a little fear.For the desperate man had planned a desperate game, and he was notaltogether sure how it would work out.
Tom steeled himself to meet what was coming. He did not know what itwas, but that it was something that would concern himself, vitally, hewas sure. And he was better prepared to meet what was coming than hehad been an hour or so previous.
For now, though he was a prisoner, and bound, he was warm, and he hadeaten. These things go far toward making courage in a man, or boyeither, for that matter.
"Now," said Professor Skeel, and the sneer on his face grew morepronounced, "we'll talk business!"
"Oh, no, we won't!" exclaimed Tom, quickly.
"We won't?" and there was a sharp note in the man's voice.
"I'll have nothing to do with you," went on Tom. "You brought me hereagainst my will, and you are liable to severe penalties for what youdid. As soon as I can get to an officer, I intend to cause your arrest,and the arrest of those two miserable tools of yours.
"I'm not at all afraid--don't think it. You can't keep me here for verylong. Sooner or later I'll get out, and then I'll make it hot for you!That's just what I'll do--I'll make it hot for you!"
During this little outburst on the part of Tom, Professor Skeel satstaring at his prisoner. He did not seem at all frightened by what Tomsaid, though the young man put all the force he could into his words.But Tom was observant. He noticed that the little look of worry did notleave the man's face.
"I'll make it so hot for you," went on Tom, "that you'll have to leavethis part of the country. You'll have to leave if you get the chance,and perhaps you won't. My father and I will push this case to the end.I don't know what your game is, but I can guess."
"Well, since you can guess, perhaps you can guess what I'm going to dowith you!" angrily interrupted the professor.
"No, I can't, exactly," spoke Tom, slowly, "but if it's anything meanor low-down, you'll do it. I know you of old. I've had dealing with youbefore."
"Yes, and you're going to have more!" the professor fairly shouted."I'm going to get even with you for what you did for me. You caused meto lose my place at Elmwood Hall----"
"You deserved to lose it!" said Tom, cuttingly.
"And you mistreated me when we were out in that open boat----"
"Mistreated you!" fairly gasped Tom, amazed at the man's hardness ofmind. "Mistreated you, when you tried to steal the little water andfood we had left!"
He could say no more. His mind went back vividly to the days of thewreck of the _Silver Star_, when he and others had been in great perilat sea. He had indeed prevented the professor from carrying out hisevil designs, though Tom was not more harsh than needful. But now hewas to suffer for that.
"I've got you where I want you," went on Skeel, when Tom had becomesilent. "I've laid my plans well, and you fell into the trap. I won'tdeny that the storm helped a lot, but I've got you now, and you'regoing to do as I say, or it will be the worse for you. You'll do as Isay----"
"Don't be too sure!" interrupted Tom.
"That's enough!" snapped the angry man. "You may not realize that youare in my power, and that you're up here in a lonely part of the woods,away from your friends. They don't know where you are, and you don'tknow where they are. They can't help you. Those two men of mine will doas I say, and----"
"Oh, I've no doubt but that you've trained them well in your own classof scoundrelism," said Tom, coolly.
"Silence!" fairly shouted the infuriated man. Tom ceased his talkbecause he chose, not because he was afraid.
Professor Skeel hesitated a moment, and then drew from his pocket somepapers. Tom was at a loss to guess what they might be. In fact, he hadbut a dim idea why he had been captured and brought to the hut in thewilderness.
Some things the two men--Murker and Whalen--let fall, however, gave himan inkling of what was to come. So he did not show any great surprisewhen Professor Skeel, handing him a paper, said:
"That's a copy of a letter I want you to write to your father. Copy it,sign it in your natural hand, without any changes whatever, or withoutmaking any secret signs on the paper, and give it back to me. When Iget the right kind of an answer back, I'll let you go--not before.Write that letter to your father!"
There was a veiled threat implied in the insolent command.
Professor Skeel held the letter out in front of Tom. The latter couldnot take it, of course, for his hands were tied.
"Oh!" exclaimed the plotter, as though he had just wakened to thisfact. "Well, I'll loosen your hands for you, but you must promise notto fight. Not that I'm afraid of you, for I can master you, but I don'twant to hurt you, physically, if I can help it."
Tom did not altogether agree with the professor that he would bethe master if it came to an encounter. For our hero was a vigorouslad, he played football and baseball, and his muscles were ready forinstant call. True, he was tired from lack of rest and the hardshipshe had gone through, but he was not at all afraid of a "scrap," as heafterward put it.
So, then, when Professor Skeel made the remark about the bonds, Tom wasready for what came next.
"I'll loosen those ropes, so you can copy this letter, if you'llpromise not to attack me," went on Skeel.
"I'll promise nothing!" exclaimed Tom, defiantly.
"All right. Then I'll have to call in my helpers to stand by," grimlywent on the former instructor. "They'll take care of you if you cut uprough."
He went to the door, and called out:
"Murker--Whalen! Come in. We may need you," he added significantly.
Tom steeled himself for what was to come.
"Take off those ropes," went on the professor, when his two mean menhad come in. "Then, if he starts a row--let him have it!"
The words were coarse and rough, and the man's manner and tone evenmore so.
"Are we to take off these ropes?" asked Murker.
"Yes, and then stand by. I'm going to make him write this letter. Thatwill bring the cash."
"That's what we want!" exclaimed Whalen, with an unctious smile. "It'sthe cash I'm after."
"You'll get none from my father!" cried Tom, beginning to understandthe course of the plot.
"We'll see about that," muttered the professor. "Loose his bonds, butlook out! He's a tricky customer."
"Not any more so than you are," Tom said, promptly. "And I want to tellyou here and now, when you have your witnesses present--mean and lowas they are--I want to tell you that you'll suffer for this when I getout. I'll make it my business, and my father will also, to prosecuteyou to the full extent of the law!"
"Words--mere words!" sneered Skeel.
"You won't get out until you do as the boss wants," said Whalen.
"Don't be so rough. Better give in, it will be easier," spoke Murker,who seemed a little alarmed by what Tom said.
"I'll attend to him," said Skeel curtly. "Take off the ropes. Then youread this letter and copy and sign it!" he ordered.
A moment later Tom's hands were free. He did not see any chance formaking an escape then, so he waited, merely stretching his arms so thatthe bound muscles were more free. True, he might have made a rush onhis captors, but the door had been locked, after the entrance of Murkerand Whalen, and Tom did not see what opportunity he would have withthree against him. He might be seriously hurt and that would spoil hischances for a future escape.
"Read that," ordered Skeel, thrusting the paper into Tom's hands. Aglance showed that it was addressed to his father. It recited thatTom was in trouble, that he had been made a prisoner by a band ofmen who would release him only on payment of ten thousand dollars.Details were given as to how the money, in cash, must be sent, and Mr.Fairfield was urged to make no effort to trace Tom, or it would resultseriously for the prisoner.
"Sign t
hat and we'll send it," ordered Skeel.
Tom dropped the letter to the floor, disdaining to hand it back.
"What's this?" fairly roared the professor. "Do you mean you won't doas I say?"
"That's just what I mean," said Tom, coolly. "You may keep me here aslong as you like, and you can do as you please, but I'll never signthat letter. Go ahead! I'm not afraid of you!" and he faced his enemiesdefiantly.