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Jarrow turned to the shore and called something, and Doc went
across and stood near by while the pair continued their conversation.
Dinshaw heard the summons, and looked back, but had no interest
in what was going on, for he resumed his trudging, stopping
frequently to look about him as if searching for some landmark.
The parley between Peth and Jarrow lasted several minutes, and
then other heads and shoulders appeared in the brush, peering out.
Jarrow s voice, raised threateningly, reached those in the schooner
in a rumbling sort of growl, although they could not distinguish his
words. He appeared to be exasperated that his crew should stand
about in the jungle and refuse to obey his orders.
Finally Jarrow waved his hand to Doc, and turned to follow the
steward, when Peth ran forward, and stepped between Jarrow and
Doc. He whipped out a pistol and pointed it at the captain.
The others came out of the brush at this, and Doc took to his heels,
running for the boat like a deer.
Jarrow put his hands up, and roared out something angrily to the
effect that he d settle this business if it cost him his life, and as the
crew closed in around him he shouted wildly toward the schooner:
Mutiny! Mutiny!
Doc reached the long boat and making frantic efforts to push it off
finally got it afloat, and with an oar shoved it into deep water and
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Isle O Dreams
began to scull it out rapidly, making a zigzag course for the
schooner.
Can you beat it? demanded Locke. They ve taken Jarrow
prisoner! Now we are in for it!
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Isle O Dreams
CHAPTER XII
Trask Makes a Discovery
The crazy fools! exclaimed Trask, as he saw Jarrow being hustled
into the jungle by the crew. What sort of game do you suppose this
is? Have they all gone mad?
Mutiny! said Marjorie. Why should they mutiny?
Search me, said her father, disgustedly. We seem to have brought
a fine pack of maniacs with us.
They could see Dinshaw exploring the beach, apparently oblivious of
what had happened, or careless of the quarrels which Jarrow and
Peth might have, so long as he was on his beloved island.
So the watchers in the schooner gave their attention to Doc, who
continued to drive the long boat ahead jerkily, working as though he
expected to be pursued from ashore and prevented from gaining the
Nuestra.
What was that all about? demanded Trask, as the steward,
breathing hard and to every appearance terror-stricken, brought the
long boat alongside the schooner.
Lordy me! he gasped, his eyes white and rolling. They shore
messed up things this yer time! He quit sculling and stood up in the
stern of the boat, allowing it to make the distance which separated it
from the schooner by its own momentum.
But what did they say? demanded Locke.
It s Mr. Peth, said Doc, and turning, looked ashore. He s got the
skipper up a tree. Ah tell yo all that man Peth, he s a danger!
Yassir! He made the boat fast, and scrambled up the ladder and
over the side.
Now, said Trask, tell us everything that you heard.
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Isle O Dreams
Mr. Trask, fo Gawd, if you ll slip me a gun, I ll go back en blow
dat man s haid off n his neck! Mr. Peth he don t need to think he s
goin do no foolin round with me, no, suh! I m jest as mean as
anybody when I m stirred up, en I m mad to mah marrer! If I d had
a gun
You re more of a sprinter than a shooter, if I m any judge, said
Locke. Never mind what you ll do. What did you hear?
Well, suh, said Doc, scratching his head, I was a just sort of
circulatin round when I filled that bucket. I wanted to see what
Mr. Peth was projectin about wid the skipper, so I jest aidged up,
closer en closer, when the cap n he call me to shuffle along.
They was a-talkin , kind o low lak . Mr. Peth he was a-sayin
how they all been fooled cause there ain t no gold on the island
nohow. How they done dug en dug, but nary any gold. And Mr.
Peth he lowed he was there for gold, and not a-gitten any, he was
goin to be paid, en paid big, en all hands wanted a batch o money.
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