CHAPTER XVIII
A DEMAND OF IMPORTANCE
Dick could scarcely believe the evidence of his own eyesight as hegazed at the former bully of Putnam Hall and the Frenchman whostood beside him.
"Baxter! Is it possible!" he gasped. "What brought you here?"
"Are you a prisoner, too?" put in Randolph Rover.
"A prisoner!" laughed Baxter. "Well, that's a good one, I mustsay. No, I am not a prisoner."
"And what brought you here?" went on Mr. Rover.
"Can't you imagine?"
"He is in with these rascals who have captured us," came quicklyfrom Dick. "This is how you repay our kindness, Baxter?"
"Your kindness? Bah! I want none of it. Didn't I refuse youroffer, made just before you went away?"
"But you didn't refuse the first money we gave you, Baxter."
At this the bully bit his lip. "We won't talk about that, DickRover. Do you realize that you are absolutely in my power? Howdo you like it?"
"It was not you who captured us, Baxter."
"Well, it amounts to the same thing, eh, Capitan Villaire?" andthe big boy turned to the French brigand, who nodded. "Wecollared you nicely."
"What of Sam and Tom?" asked Randolph Rover anxiously.
"Ve will not speak of zem udders," broke in Captain Villaire. "Vevill speak apout you."
"Did Baxter put up this plot against us? queried Dick.
"To be sure I did," answered Baxter, who loved to brag just asmuch as ever.
"And before I let you go I'm going to make you pay up dearly forall that I have suffered. Captain Villaire, have you had themsearched?" he asked, turning again to his companion.
"Yees, Baxter, but za had not mooch monish wid zem."
"How much?"
"Only about a hundred pounds."
"Then they left it behind at Binoto's place," was the quickanswer. "Now if those others aren't captured--"
"Hush, ve vill not speak of zat," put in the brigand hastily."Tell zeni what I haf tole you."
"All right, I will." Dan Baxter turned once more to theprisoners. "Do you know why you were brought here?"
"To be robbed, I presume," answered Randolph Rover.
"Or that and worse," said Dick significantly,
"I reckon I have a right to all of your money, Dick Rover."
"I don't see how you make that out, Baxter."
"Years ago your father robbed mine out of the rights to a richgold mine in the United States."
"That's your side of the story. I claim, and so did my father,that the mine was ours."
"It's a falsehood. The mine was discovered by my fattier, and ifeverything had gone right he would have had the income from it."
"This is ancient history, Baxter. Come to business. What do youintend to do with us?"
"We intend to make money out of you," was the answer, given with arude laugh.
"In what manner?"
"First you will have to answer a few questions."
"Zat ees it," put in Captain Villaire. "How mooch morlish youbring wid you from America?"
"We didn't bring much," answered Randolph Rover, who began tosmell a mouse.
"How mooch?"
"About two hundred pounds."
"Humph, a thousand dollars!" sneered Baxter. "That won't do atall."
"You must haf brought more!" cried the French brigand angrily.
"Not much more."
"You leave zat in Boma, wid ze bankers, eh?"
"Yes."
"But you haf von big lettair of credit, not so?"
"Yes, we have a letter of credit," answered Randolph Rover. "Butthat won't do you any good, nor the money at the banker'sneither."
"Ve see about zat, monsieur. Proceed," and Captain Villaire wavedhis hand toward Dan Baxter.
"This is the situation in a nutshell, to come right down tobusiness," said the former bully of Putnam Hall coolly. "You areour prisoners, and you can't get away, no matter how hard you try.Captain Villaire and his men, as well as myself, are in thisaffair to make money. The question is, what is your liberty worthto you?"
"So you intend to work such a game?" demanded Dick.
"That's the game, yes."
"Well, I shan't pay you a cent."
"Don't be a fool, Dick Rover. We are not to be trifled with."
"Well, I haven't any money, and that ends it. You already haveall I had."
"Then you will have to foot the bill," continued Dan Baxter,turning to Randolph Rover.
"If you value your liberty you will pay us what we demand."
"And what do you demand?" questioned Mr. Rover.
"We demand twenty thousand dollars--ten thousand for the libertyof each."
This demand nearly took away Randolph Rover's breath.
"Twenty thousand dollars!" he gasped. "It is--is preposterous!"
"Is it? You are worth a good deal more than that, Mr. Rover. AndI am demanding only what is fair."
"You shall never get the money."
"Won't we?"
"Never!"
"Perhaps you'll sing a different tune in a few, days--after yourstomachs get empty," responded Dan Baxter, with a malicious gleamin his fishy eyes. "So you mean to starve us into acceding to yourdemands," said Dick. "Baxter, I always did put you down as afirst-class rascal. If you keep, on, you'll be more of a one thanyour father."
In high rage the former bully of Putnam Hall strode forward andwithout warning struck the defenseless Dick a heavy blow on thecheek.
"That, for your impudence," he snarled. "You keep a civil tonguein your head. If you don't--" He finished with a shake of hisfist.
"You had bettair make up your mind to pay ze monish," said CaptainVillaire, after a painful pause. "It will be ze easiest way outof ze situation for you."
"Don't you pay a cent, Uncle Randolph," interrupted Dick quickly.Then Baxter hit him again, such a stinging blow that he almostlost consciousness.
"For shame!" ejaculated Mr. Rover. "He is tied up, otherwise youwould never have the courage to attack him. Baxter, have you nospirit of fairness at all in your composition?"
"Don't preach--I won't listen to it!" fumed the bully. "Youhave got to pay that money. If you don't--well, I don't believeyou'll ever reach America alive, that's all."
With these words Dan Baxter withdrew, followed by CaptainVillaire.
"You think za will pay?" queried the French brigand anxiously.
"To be sure they will pay. They value their lives too much torefuse. Just wait until they have suffered the pangs of hungerand thirst, and you'll see how they change their tune."
"You are certain za have ze monish?"
"Yes; they are rich. It will only be a question of waiting forthe money after they send for it."
"I vill not mind zat."
"Neither will I--if we are safe here. You don't think anybodywill follow us?"
"Not unless za find ze way up from ze rivair. Za cannot come hereby land, because of ze swamps," answered the Frenchman. "And zeway from ze rivair shall be well guarded from now on," he added.