Page:At the Fall of Port Arthur.djvu/185

Rh of gold!" And then he shut the bag again, and placed it into his own shirt bosom.

"Remember, half of that is mine," came sharply from Shamhaven. He fancied there might be more in the bag than in the money belt.

"Yes,—an' haf de money-pelt money ist mine, yes," returned Peterson.

"Right you are, Peterson. Now to get away from the ship."

"Let us lock Russell in de stateroom first."

"A good idea!"

The door was closed and locked. Larry still lay unconscious and there was no telling how soon he would come to his senses.

They heard the tramping on the deck and the departure of the small boat. Now those in the boat came back and the search for the missing men came to an end.

With the slyness of a pair of cats, the evildoers crept up the companionway once more. Nobody was in sight, and they crawled rather than walked to the rail of the schooner. Both were good swimmers and not afraid to trust themselves to reach some other shipping in the harbor. Yet as an extra precaution each provided himself with a life-preserver.

"Are you ready, Peterson?"