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Frank Merriwell Down South, a novel by Burt L. Standish |
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Chapter 33. Gage Takes A Turn |
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_ CHAPTER XXXIII. GAGE TAKES A TURN Gage was tempted to shout for help, but the muzzle of the cold weapon that touched his forehead froze his tongue to silence. "Hello! Ahoy, there, cap'n! Where are you?" Ben Bowsprit was growing impatient and wondering why Leslie did not answer. It had occurred to the old tar that it was possible the boy had deserted them. The voice of Black Tom was heard to say: "He oughter be right near by us, Ben. 'Smighty strange dat feller don' seem to answer nohow." "Shiver my timbers!" roared Bowsprit. "We'll pull back, my hearty, and take a look for our gay cap'n." They were coming back, and Gage was still unbound, although a captive in Frank Merriwell's clutch. Frank thought swiftly. There would not be enough time to bind Gage and get away. Something must be done to prevent the two sailors from turning about and rowing back. "Gage," whispered Frank, swiftly, "you must answer them. Say, it's all right, boys; I'm coming right along." Gage hesitated, the longing to shout for help again grasping him. "Do as I told you!" hissed Frank, and the muzzle of the revolver seemed to bore into Gage's forehead, as if the bullet longed to seek his brain. With a mental curse on the black luck, Gage uttered the words as his captor had ordered, although they seemed to come chokingly from his throat. "Well, what are ye doing back there so long?" demanded Bowsprit. "Tell them you're making love," chuckled Frank, who seemed to be hugely enjoying the affair, to the unspeakable rage of his captive. "Ask them if they don't intend to give you a show at all." Gage did as directed, causing Bowsprit to laugh hoarsely. "Oh, you're a sly dog!" cackled the old sailor, in the darkness. "But this is a poor time to spend in love-makin', cap'n. Wait till we git settled down ag'in. Tom an' me'll agree not ter watch ye." "Say, all right; go on," instructed Frank, and Gage did so. In a few seconds, the sound of oars were heard, indicating that the sailors were obeying instructions. At that moment, while Frank was listening to this sound, Gage believed his opportunity had arrived, and, being utterly desperate, the young rascal knocked aside Frank's hand, gave a wild shout, leaped to his feet, and plunged headlong into the water. It was done swiftly--too swiftly for Frank to shoot, if he had intended such a thing. But Frank Merriwell had no desire to shoot his former schoolmate, even though Leslie Gage had become a hardened and desperate criminal, and so, having broken away, the youthful leader of the mutineers stood in no danger of being harmed. Frank and Socato had been close at hand when Gage placed Elsie Bellwood in the boat, and barely was the girl left alone before she was removed by the Seminole, in whose arms she lay limp and unconscious, having swooned at last. Then it was that a desire to capture Gage and a wild longing to give the fellow a paralyzing surprise seized upon Frank. "Socato," he whispered, "I am going to trust you to take that girl to the hut where my friends are to be found. Remember that you shall be well paid; I give you my word of honor as to that. See that no harm comes to her." "All right," returned the Indian. "What white boy mean to do?" "Have a little racket on my own hook," was the reply. "If I lose my bearings and can't find the hut, I will fire five shots into the air from my revolver. Have one of my friends answer in a similar manner." "It shall be done." "Give me that coat. All right. Now skip with the girl." Frank took the coat; stepped into the boat, watched till Gage was approaching, and then muffled his head, sitting in the place where Elsie had been left. In the meantime, the Seminole was bearing the girl swiftly and silently away. Thus it came about that Gage made love to Frank Merriwell, instead of the fair captive he believed was muffled by the coat. When Gage plunged into the water, the small boat rocked and came near upsetting, but did not go over. But the fellow's cry and the splash had brought the sailors to a halt, and they soon called back: "What's the matter? What has happened?" "I rather fancy it will be a good plan to make myself scarce in this particular locality," muttered Frank. Gage swam under water for some distance, and then, coming to the surface, he shouted to the men in the leading boat: "Bowsprit, Black Tom, help! Turn back quickly! There is an enemy here, but he is alone! We can capture him, boys! Be lively about it!" "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Frank, merrily. "You will have a fine time catching me. You have given me great amusement, Gage. I assure you that I have been highly entertained by your company, and hereafter I shall consider you an adept in the gentle art of making love." "Laugh!" fiercely shouted Gage from the water. "You are having your turn now, but mine will soon come!" "I have heard you talk like that before, Gage. It does not seem that you have yet learned 'the way of the transgressor is hard.'" "You'll learn better than to meddle with me! I have longed to meet you again, Frank Merriwell, and I tell you now that one of us will not leave this swamp alive!" "This is not the first time you have made a promise that you were not able to keep. Before I leave you, I have this to say: If Captain Bellwood is harmed in the least, if he is not set at liberty with very little delay, I'll never rest till you have received the punishment which your crimes merit." Frank could hear the sailors rowing back, and he felt for the oars, having no doubt that he would be able to escape them with ease, aided by the darkness. Then came a surprise for him. When Gage stopped rowing to make love to the supposed Elsie he had left the oars in the rowlocks, drawing them in and laying them across the boat. In the violent rocking of the boat when the fellow leaped overboard one of the oars had been lost. Frank was left with a single oar, and his enemies were bearing down upon him with great swiftness. "I wonder if there's a chance to scull this boat?" he coolly speculated, as he hastened to the stern and made a swift examination. To his satisfaction and relief, he found there was, and the remaining oar was quickly put to use. Even then Frank felt confident that he would be able to avoid his enemies in the darkness that lay deep and dense upon the great swamp. He could hear them rowing, and he managed to skull the light boat along without making much noise. He did not mind that Gage had escaped; in fact, he was relieved to get rid of the fellow, although it had been his intention to hold him as hostage for Captain Bellwood. It was the desire for adventure that had led Frank into the affair, and, now that it was over so far as surprising Gage was concerned, he was satisfied to get away quietly. He could hear the sailors calling Gage, who answered from the water, and he knew they would stop to pick the fellow up, which would give our hero a still better show of getting away. All this took place, and Frank was so well hidden by the darkness that there was not one chance in a thousand of being troubled by the ruffianly crew when another astonishing thing happened. From a point amid the tall rushes a powerful white light gleamed out and fell full and fair upon the small boat and its single occupant, revealing Frank as plainly as if by the glare of midday sunlight. "Great Scott!" gasped the astonished boy. "What is the meaning of this, I would like to know?" He was so astonished that he nearly dropped the oar. The sailors were astonished, but the light showed them distinctly, and Gage snarled. "Give me your pistol, Bowsprit! Be lively!" He snatched the weapon from the old tar's hand, took hasty aim, and fired. Frank Merriwell was seen to fling up his arms and fall heavily into the bottom of the boat! _ |
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