Page:Last Cruise of the Spitfire.djvu/152

142 He sprang at me and struck me a cruel blow in the mouth that almost knocked me off my feet.

"That's the way to treat him," put in Crocker, "Lay it to him good, Captain."

"You brute!" I cried.

"Shut up!" cried Captain Hannock; and then he turned away to give orders to the sailors to hoist sail again.

"You'll catch it now," went on Crocker to me.

"I don't care," I returned, recklessly.

"You don't, eh?"

"No, I don't. Do your worst!"

And I would say no more to him.

Presently the sails went up once more and again the Spitfire moved away from the distant shore. With the fading away of the land my last hope appeared to desert me.

Then Captain Hannock again approached me.

"How did you get loose?" demanded the skipper of the Spitfire, as he hurried up, red with rage.

"That's my business," was my reply. "You have no right to keep me on board."

"I'll put you in irons. Crocker, get the irons, I'll show the cub who's boss here!"

In a minute the handcuffs had been placed upon my wrists.