eyes on the captain and his men, but there was no move to molest them.
"You can go," said Captain Langless to the sailors. "And, Wilson, send the cook here for orders."
The sailors departed, and with something of a grim smile on his furrowed face the owner of the Peacock dropped into a seat near the companionway door. He had just started to speak again when there was a noise outside and Arnold Baxter appeared.
"Have you subdued the rascals?" he questioned hastily.
"Reckon I have," was the slow answer. "Leas'wise, they have thrown down their weapons."
"Then why don't you handcuff them again, the rats!"
"We are no rats, and I'll trouble you to be civil," returned Dick firmly.
"Ha! I'll show you!" howled Arnold Baxter, and would have rushed at Dick had not the captain interposed.
"Hold on, sir," were the words of the ship's owner. "We have called a truce. They have promised to behave themselves if we treat them squarely, and so there are to be no more back-bitings."
"But — er — " Arnold Baxter was so astonished he could scarcely speak. "You are not going to put them in the hold?"
"Not for the present."
"They will run away."
"How can they, when we are out of sight of land?"
"They ought to be chained down."
"Supposing you let me be the judge of that, Mr. Baxter. I promised to do certain things for you. If I do them, you'll have no cause to complain."
"Have you decided to take these boys' part?" ejaculated Arnold Baxter, turning pale.
"I have made up my mind that treating them like beasts won't do any good."
"They don't deserve it."
"Don't deserve what?"
"To be well treated. They are — are — "
"Young gentlemen," finished Tom. "The captain knows gentlemen when he sees them, even if you don't."
"Don't talk to me, Tom Rover."
"I will talk whenever I please. I am not your slave."
"But you are in my power, don't forget that."
At this moment the cook of the schooner appeared.
"What's wanted?" he asked of the captain.
"Bring some breakfast for these three young gentlemen," said Captain Langless. "Some fresh coffee and bread and some fried eggs and potatoes."
At this order Arnold Baxter stood fairly aghast. "You are going to let them dine here?" he gasped.
"I am."
"But — but you must be crazy. They will — er — think they are running the ship!"
"No, they won't. Leave them to me, and I'm sure we will get along all right. Come, let us go on deck."
"What! and leave them alone?"
"I will send a man down to see that they don't get into mischief."
"But I don't like this turn of affairs," stammered Arnold Baxter. He was half afraid the captain was going back on him.
"It's all right; come," answered the owner of the Peacock; and a moment later both men quitted the cabin.
CHAPTER XII
A DINNER OF IMPORTANCE
"The captain isn't such a bad fellow, after all," observed Sam, when the three Rovers were left to themselves.
"He certainly isn't a brute," answered Dick. "But about being bad, that's another story."
"He's got an awfully shrewd face," put in Tom. "But I'm mighty glad he turned old Baxter down. That villain would ride over us roughshod."
"I think, all told, we have gained a point," continued Dick. "It's something to be treated decently, even if you are a prisoner. The question is, how long will we be caged up on board of the schooner?"
"I would like to know if the Swallow is in sight," said Tom. "Wonder if I can't slip up the companion way and find out?"
He arose from the seat into which he had dropped, but before he could gain the doorway a sailor appeared and waved him back. Then the sailor took the seat the captain had occupied by the door.
"Are you sent to spy on us?" demanded Tom.
"I was sent to see that you didn't cut up any tricks," answered the tar. He was terribly cross-eyed, but appeared to be rather good-natured. "You mustn't go on deck without the captain's permission."
"Can't we have any fresh air?"
"You'll have to ask the captain about that. He said I was to watch you while you had breakfast, and keep you and those other folks from quarreling."
"What other folks, the Baxters?"
"Yes."
No more was said, and soon the cook appeared with a pot full of newly made coffee and a trayful of other things. The hasty lunch had been a scanty one, and it did not interfere with the boys' appetites for what was now set before them.
"This is all right," observed Sam, when he had almost finished eating. "We couldn't have a better meal on the Swallow." He turned to the sailor. "Is the yacht still in sight?"
He spoke carelessly, but the tar knew how much he was interested and smiled suggestively.
"No sail of any kind in sight."
"Where are we bound?"
"You'll have to ask the captain about that."
"Do you mean to say you don't know?"
The sailor nodded. "We follow orders, we do, and that's all," he observed, and then they could get nothing more out of him.
The boys took their time, yet the meal was finished inside of half an hour. They were just getting up from the table when Captain Langless reappeared.
"Well, how did the breakfast suit?" he asked.
"First-rate," returned Dick. "Now, if you don't mind, we would like to go on deck."
"You may do so under one condition."
"And that is — ?"
"That you will go below again when ordered by me."
At
