Part 4

The water struck the commander of the "Sally D." full in the face, causing him to leap backward sputtering and choking, while a good deal of the liquid fell on the flames. The second bucket was emptied in the same manner immediately afterward, and all danger of mischief was at an end for the time being.

It would be difficult to describe clearly the exhibition of rage which the commander of the "Sally D." gave on being thus baffled by two lads. He stormed at Sam because the lad had dared to run away from the schooner; at Tom for taking part in a quarrel which was none of his, and at Rube Rowe for "skulking" on the beach when his employer was in need of his services.

The "crew" of the "Sally D." remained silent under the torrent of abuse during a few seconds, and then boldly announced his determination:

"I'm nothin' but a common, every-day fisherman, but I allow to be somewhere nigh honest. I shipped with you for a summer's work, an' never allowed to go 'round burnin' houses. If you give me one more word of abuse, I'll turn to an' help the boys so far as I'm able----"

"You'll finish out the season aboard the 'Sally D.,' or you'll never see a cent of wages!" Captain Doak cried, the words sounding hoarse and indistinct because of his rage.

"I'm allowin' that if I should go inter court with the story of why we parted company before the season ended, I'd be able to collect all you owe me, if so be you've got property enough left to be attached by the sheriff; so I ain't worryin' 'bout that part of it."

Having thus defined his position, Rube Rowe, as the boys could see, set about launching the "Sally's" dory, apparently making ready to go on board, and Captain Doak, seemingly forgetting the enemy on the cliff, sprang out from his hiding-place as if to try conclusions with his mutinous "crew."

"Now's our chance!" Tom whispered as he threw two rocks with good aim, and an instant later the commander of the "Sally D." measured his length on the sand, evidently having been struck by one or both of the missiles.

"What if we have killed him?" Sam cried in a tone of fear when his stepfather made no effort to rise to his feet, and Tom replied savagely:

"I hope we have hurt him enough to put some sense in him; but you'll see him jumpin' 'round in a minute."

The lad spoke in a loud tone, and must have been heard by the captain, for he scrambled to his feet with all haste, running toward the dory as he cried shrilly:

"I'll shoot you boys if I have to spend a week on this bloomin' island!"

"Has he a gun?" Tom asked, as he sheltered himself behind the top of the cliff once more, and Sam replied with a laugh:

"There is one hangin' up in the cabin; but I've heard him say that it would do more harm to the fellow who fired it than to whatever it was aimed at."

"I don't believe he'll dare show himself near enough to shoot; but if he does I'll take good care that the next rock hurts him more. That fire ain't quite out yet, an' we'd better be gettin' more water while he's goin' aboard. Stay here on watch, an' I'll 'tend to that part of it."

Sam was not eager for the task of defending the cliff, therefore, before his friend could say anything more, he seized the bucket, running boldly down the rocky incline, careless as to whether he might be seen.

When he returned with the water, Tom threw it on the smoldering rubbish, and after assuring himself that the last spark had been extinguished, said in the tone of one giving valuable information:

"Your bloomin' cap'en has gone aboard, an' taken the sailor with him. I reckon you'd better get a little more water, an' then we'll kinder fix up 'bout what we shall do if he really tries to shoot us, though I don't believe he can make any great fist at it with the kind of gun you say he's got."

*CHAPTER VII*

*UNCLE BEN'S ARRIVAL*

Sam filled both buckets with sea water and carried them to the top of the cliff, where they could conveniently be got at in case the commander of the "Sally D." made another attempt to burn the shanty, and, this done, there was nothing more to be done in the way of defense.

Now that he had time to consider the situation more calmly, and while they were waiting for Captain Doak to reappear, Tom began to have some misgivings regarding their ability to hold possession of the island against a man armed with a deadly weapon.

"Are you certain that gun of his ain't in condition?" he asked anxiously, and Sam replied with a laugh, as if there was no question whatsoever in his mind:

"I heard the cap'en say it had been loaded more'n two years, an' in that time, for it has been hangin' up in the 'Sally's' cabin all the while, it stands to reason it must have gathered considerable rust. Rube Rowe said he'd rather stand in front than behind it, in case anybody was crazy enough to pull the trigger."

"Then I reckon it's all right," Tom said with a sigh of relief. "I ain't backin' down any when it comes to stoppin' that bloomin' fisherman from burnin' your Uncle Ben's shanty; but I ain't had any too much experience in fightin' with guns. When I lived with Mother Sharkey it was only a case of dodgin' anythin' she could lay her hands on, an' I'm way up on tricks like that, 'cause you see I had to be mighty spry or catch it hot; but----"

"There comes Cap'en Doak, an' he's got the gun with him!" Sam cried, for he could make out, in the gloom, the outlines of a man emerging from the cabin of the schooner. "P'rhaps he's jest crazy-mad enough to fire off the thing without stoppin' to think of the rust!"

"I don't see but that we'll have to take our chances on it, 'cause it's too late to make a move now. Get a couple of rocks ready, an' when I say the word let 'em drive the best you know how. We're bound to do him all the damage we can. He started all this, and its his fault if he gets hurt."

Sam armed himself as his companion had suggested, but at the same time he was far from feeling comfortable in mind. It was to him a very serious matter, this attempting to work injury to a human being, and the idea came into his mind that he would be solely responsible for whatever might happen, because, by at once giving himself up, to his stepfather, he could put an end to further trouble on the island, but in such case he would receive most terrible punishment.

"Look here, Tom," he said in a tearful tone as he allowed the rocks to drop from his hands, "this row wouldn't have come off if I hadn't run away from the schooner an' I can stop it all now by goin' aboard the 'Sally' an' takin' what the cap'en sees fit to deal out in the way of a thumpin'. I'm goin' to give in, an' then there won't be any danger Uncle Ben's shanty will be burned."

"You ain't goin' to do any sich foolish thing!" Tom cried, excitedly. "An' what's more, your Uncle Ben's shanty won't be burned while there are plenty of rocks near by! S'pose you hadn't run away, where'd I be now? Swashin' 'round off the shore with the fish havin' a Thanksgivin' dinner, an' on account of that I'm bound to hold up the biggest end of this 'ere scrimmage. You won't go aboard the schooner to-night, not if I have to hold you on this cliff with one hand while I fight the cap'en with the other. Here comes the old pirate, so get busy!"

Captain Doak had lost no time in coming ashore after getting possession of his weapon, and as Tom spoke he was advancing rapidly toward the shanty, apparently confident of speedily reducing the defenders to subjection.

"Hold on there! You've come far enough!" Master Falonna cried when the angry captain was a hundred feet away. "The next time we knock you down it won't be so easy to get up!"

"I'll shoot you loafers full of holes!" the commander of the "Sally D." cried, the tremor of his voice telling that he was almost beside himself with rage; but to Tom's relief, he took good care to remain at a respectful distance from the foot of the cliff. "I'm willin' to give you one chance more, an' if you ain't wise enough to take it, there's goin' to be a whole lot of trouble on this island. Let that worthless Sam go aboard the 'Sally' this minute, an' I'll get the schooner under way in a jiffy. If he----"

"Never mind 'bout the rest of it, mister, 'cause Sam's goin' to stay right where he is, 'less we have ter come down an' wipe the earth up with you. I reckon you're right when you say there's goin' to be trouble; but you're the one what'll have it!"

For reply Captain Doak raised the gun as if to take aim, and Tom whispered excitedly:

"He's goin' to shoot! Let him have it!"

At the same instant he suited the action to the words; four missiles came skimming down the cliff, one of them striking the rusty gun within an inch of the captain's face, and another hitting the commander of the "Sally D." on the left leg with a thud that could be distinctly heard.

The ancient weapon was knocked from the captain's hands, or fell when he grasped the injured limb as if in greatest distress, and then came from his lips a regular torrent of abuse and threats.

"I don't allow you're doin' us any damage by usin' your tongue so much; but at the same time I ain't willin' to stand here doin' nothin' while you're shootin' your mouth off at sich a rate," Tom said threateningly, as he armed himself with more rocks. "Get on down toward the beach, or I'll try my hand at bruisin' your other leg!"

To the surprise of both the boys, Captain Doak hastily obeyed this command, hobbling off as if it caused him keenest pain to use the injured member, but at the same time taking good care not to linger within range of those whom he had attempted to bully.

"What do you think of that?" Tom cried in astonishment as he watched the commander of the "Sally D." hurrying to gain the beach.

"He has gone off to try some other game, an' when he comes again we'll get it hotter," Sam whispered timidly, and Tom replied scornfully, almost as if disappointed because the battle had been ended so suddenly:

"Unless he puts up somethin' hotter we've wasted our time by luggin' up so many rocks. He's nothin' but a great big bully, that's what he is, an' the minute things ain't runnin' his way he's ready to cry baby. I'm goin' to get that gun!"

"Don't! Don't leave the cliff, or he'll serve you out terrible!" Sam cried, trying to prevent his companion from scrambling down the rocky descent, but Tom pushed him aside as he said disdainfully:

"It'll be a cold day when he uses me so very terrible, the big bag of wind!" and down he ran at full speed, Captain Doak apparently giving no heed as the lad captured the rusty gun.

In less than sixty seconds Tom was on the top of the cliff again, brandishing his trophy as he shouted to the commander of the schooner who, seated on the sand, was rubbing his injured limb energetically:

"It's time you went aboard, 'less you want to get another dose. We're here to look after things while Uncle Ben is away, an' don't count on havin' sich as you 'round here after dark! I'm goin' to pile a lot of rocks on this gun, when it has been pointed straight for you, an' then tie a string to the trigger so I can pull it without takin' the chances of havin' my head blown off. If you're in the way there'll be a mighty good show of gettin' hurt."

"What's goin' on over there?" a voice cried from across the water, and as the boys remained silent in surprise they heard the splash of oars in the distance.

"Uncle Ben has come back!" Sam shouted, in a tone of most intense relief, and immediately after came the question:

"What's the matter ashore?"

"Cap'en Doak has been tryin' to burn the shanty!" Tom replied, and from the deck of the schooner Rube Rowe took part in the conversation by saying irritably:

"I reckon you haven't got back any too soon, Uncle Ben. The skipper is crazier than a woodchuck, an' if the boys hadn't put up a pretty stiff fight he'd cut quite a swarth!"

There was no reply, but Sam fancied that the oars were worked more energetically, as if the old lobster catcher was in a hurry to gain the shore, and Tom whispered, as he made careful selection of two rocks:

"Let's get down on the beach about as soon as your Uncle Ben comes ashore, for there's no tellin' what that bloomin' stepfather of yours may try to do to the old man."

It is possible that Sam would not have ventured down from the cliff alone; but he could do no less than follow the example set by his companion and by the time Uncle Ben's dory struck the shore the two lads were so near that they might easily have fallen upon Captain Doak before he could do a mischief.

The old lobster catcher hauled his boat far up on the beach and threw out the anchor, lest she should drift away when the tide rose again, before saying anything to the man whom he had warned against trespassing on Apple Island. Then, instead of speaking in an angry tone, he said placidly:

"You are only makin' matters worse for yourself, Eliakim, by tryin' to work mischief. I allowed you'd let your temper get the upper hand an' so did what I could to protect Sam Cushing. I've finished the business at the Port, 'cordin' to what I promised, an' if you lay the weight of your finger on the lad ag'in you'll be buckin' agin the whole state of Maine, 'cause you've no longer got a shadder of a claim on him."

"What's the meanin' of all that, you old idjut?" Captain Doak cried angrily, looking toward Uncle Ben for the first time since he had come ashore.

"I mean that a legal guardian will be app'inted for the boy you've wronged outer his mother's house, an' his case will be looked inter by the judge. As for your bein' here, that's another matter, an' I've found out jest what rights I've got to this 'ere island, seein's how I pay rent for it. You're to keep a proper distance, Eliakim Doak, for I'm warnin' you off of what is the same as my property, an' if you put your foot on this place ag'in I'll have you sued for trespass."

"Hurray for Uncle Ben," said Tom gleefully. Sam was too astonished to speak.

"It takes considerable to get me started," Uncle Ben went on, "an' you mustn't think that all this has come on me sudden-like; I've had it in mind ever since the day you sold Sam's house, puttin' the money inter your own pocket, but didn't get 'round to straightenin' things till you allowed he was obleeged to stop aboard with you, doin' a man's work an' gettin' nothin' in the way of wages." Then walking toward his shanty, giving no heed as to what Captain Doak might propose to do, the old man said to the boys, "I reckon it is time you turned in, for the night is gettin' old. Come with me, for growin' lads need a good bit of sleep to keep 'em in shape."

Tom and Sam followed Uncle Ben; but before entering the shanty both looked back to see what the commander of the "Sally D." was doing, and, much to their surprise, saw that he remained seated on the sand as when the old lobster catcher came ashore.

"He's not goin' to leave," Tom announced, as he closed the door behind him lest the subject of their conversation should overhear the words, and Uncle Ben replied placidly:

"He'll go aboard after a spell, an' get the schooner under way. An obstinate man is Eliakim Doak, an' it goes agin the grain to be forced inter doin' what he don't like. Have you had much trouble with him?"

Both lads told the story of what had happened on the island, giving the story in a fragmentary way, but none the less clearly, and when the recital was done Uncle Ben said in a tone of conviction:

"It's lucky he didn't have his will, an' p'rhaps it's well he kicked up a row, else I might have fiddled over my plan till there wasn't life enough left in me to carry it out as I've figgered on. Now it's the same as started, an' all owin' to Eliakim's bad temper."

Sam and Tom looked at each other in perplexity. Uncle Ben appeared to think he had accomplished something of importance, and yet they failed to understand what he meant, for to mix a plan of his with the actions of Captain Doak seemed much like trying to combine oil with water.

"What is it, Uncle Ben?" Sam asked after waiting in vain for the old man to make the necessary explanations. "How did Cap'en Doak's tryin' to burn the shanty have anythin' to do with your plan?"

"It wasn't what he tried to do since I left that made any difference; but only because I knew he was out to make trouble. I'll get a bite to eat, fill my pipe, an' then, while I'm takin' comfort, you shall hear all about it."

The old man set about making ready a meal, and while he was thus engaged Tom crept out to learn what move Captain Doak might have made, returning five minutes later with the report that the commander of the "Sally D." yet remained on the beach as when they had left him.

*CHAPTER VIII*

*UNCLE BEN'S "PLAN"*

Before Uncle Ben's "bite" had been made ready the boys understood that it was quite time for them to have breakfast. Already the first gray light of the coming day could be seen in the eastern sky. and it surprised them not a little at thus realizing how long a time had been spent in defending the shanty.

"It didn't seem to be as if we'd been foolin' with Cap'en Doak so long, but 'cordin' to the looks of things he's made a night of it," Sam said in surprise, as he looked out of the shanty door at the sky.

"I'm reckonin' you got so excited that you couldn't keep any very close run of the time," and as he spoke Uncle Ben displayed a slice of juicy steak he had brought from the mainland. "What do you think of that? It ain't very often I allow myself to buy meat when there's plenty of fish to be had for the takin', but this seemed to be what you might call an extry occasion on account of its bein' the beginnin' of my plan."

"You said you'd tell us what that was," Sam suggested carelessly, and the old man replied with a merry laugh:

"That part of the story will come in reg'lar order, but not till I've wore the edge off my appetite, for it makes a man feel mighty sharkish to pull the greater part of the way from Southport to Apple Island."

"Why didn't you wait till mornin', same's you figgered on?"

"Wa'al, I'd got through with the business concernin' Eliakim Doak, an' somehow--I can't rightly say why--it seemed as if I was needed here, so I made sail. P'rhaps it was lucky I did, for that stepfather of yourn had let himself drop inter a bit of temper."

"Temper!" Tom repeated with a laugh. "He was boilin' mad, that's what ailed him, an' ready for all kinds of trouble. Couldn't you use the dory's sail?"

"None to speak of, lad, none to speak of. A dory makes more leeway than headway, when it comes to standin' up agin the wind, so after foolin' 'round with the canvas for a spell I took to the oars. Time was when I didn't mind a pull from here to the Port, but now it seems like a longish job. This meat smells good, eh?"

"That's what it does!" Tom replied emphatically. "I haven't had anythin' to eat but fish for so long that it seems like I must be growin' fins."

"Wa'al, we've got plenty of time to enjoy this, 'cause we won't need to pull pots till well toward noon. Jest take a squint outside, an' see if Eliakim is still nestlin' in the sand."

"He isn't on the beach, an' the dory has disappeared, so I reckon he's on board the 'Sally,'" Sam reported after a brief survey of the shore.

"We'll hope he's got sense enough left to give Apple Island a wide berth in the future, for I've made up my mind that he shan't hang round here makin' trouble. The time has come when, if my plan is to amount to anythin', I've got to stick up for all the rights the law allows. I reckon you lads may as well fall to, for the meat is cooked, an' I've got two loaves of baker's bread to go with it, sayin' nothin' of these pertaters what are browned to a turn."

The boys did not need to be urged; both were hungry, as well they might be after the exertions of the night, and Tom was about to make an attack upon the potatoes without waiting for Uncle Ben to serve him, when he saw that Sam was sitting with bowed head, as if waiting for some ceremony to be performed.

"What seems to be the trouble?" he asked with a laugh, which died away very suddenly when the old lobster catcher began thanking his heavenly Father for the food with which they had been provided.

"It's the least we can do, Tom, to thank the Lord for all the blessin's He's allowin' us, for certain it is we don't deserve any," Uncle Ben said when his prayer was finished and he had begun to attend to the wants of his guests. "I ain't countin' on tryin' to read you a lesson, for any lad what's got common sense can see how much he owes his Maker; but I hope you'll kinder keep your weather eye liftin' till you come to realize how the thing stands."

Tom's face flushed, and Uncle Ben, understanding that he felt ashamed, set about telling of his doings in Southport, and how much of stores he was counting to bring from the mainland on the next trip.

Once during the meal Sam looked out of the door to make certain that the commander of the "Sally D." was not lurking in the vicinity; but nothing was seen to cause alarm. The schooner remained at anchor in the cove, and it was not yet sufficiently light to make out whether any person was on deck.

When hunger had been appeased, Sam insisted that he and Tom be allowed to wash the dishes while Uncle Ben was filling his pipe, and the old man was hardly more than ready to explain his "plan" before the lads were at liberty to act the part of listeners.

"I've had this 'ere thing on my mind for many a year, but never seemed able to get 'round to it till I heard how Eliakim Doak was treatin' Sammy, an' then I says to myself, says I, 'Benny, this is the time when you oughter be gettin' your plan under way,'" and Uncle Ben leaned back in his chair with the smoke clouds curling around his head. "I allowed that I'd take Sammy in an' care for him, seein's how he didn't have anybody to look after him proper like. Then come the idea that if I could lend a hand to Sammy, why couldn't I do the same to half a dozen lads what was needin' a home; but the thing didn't come out straight in my mind till I was on my way to Southport yesterday."

"I can't seem to make out exactly what you mean," Sam said in perplexity as the old man ceased speaking, much as if his story had been told.

"It'll all come plain after a bit, lad, 'cause you see I ain't got inter my yarn yet, so to speak. Wa'al, I was turnin' the matter over in my mind jest before Tom takes it inter his head to show up, an' then I says to myself, says I, 'Benny, it's all bein' worked out for yer, so go ahead an' do the rest,' an' that's what I did yesterday, so to speak."

"But what did you do yesterday, Uncle Benny?" Sam asked in perplexity.

"That's jest what I'm tryin' to tell you, lad; but first an' foremost you must know what the plan really is. I allowed that this 'ere island was big enough for quite a family, an' that a good-sized school of boys might get a decent livin' here, if so be they was willin' to work. You see it wouldn't be much of a job to raise all the vegetables that a big lot of people could eat in a winter. Then ag'in, if we had a schooner the size of the 'Sally D.,' an' boys enough to run her, we'd be makin' a large dollar by fishin', with the lobster business goin' on same as ever. Now do you catch on to the plan?"

"You mean to hire a lot of boys to come here an' work for you!" Tom cried, believing he understood the drift of the old man's remarks.