"
With these words he drew from the pocket of his trousers a revolver of
old style, but of aspect fully as vicious as its owner. It was of large
calibre, and from the way in which the mate handled it he was evidently
familiar with its use.
But Jack was not to be daunted so easily. Stretching the truth a bit,
perhaps, he replied to the threat of the mate:
"Oh, well, if you feel like bucking the government, go ahead. I can't
sink you with this craft, or you'd be at the bottom in a jiffy. But you
know what it means to disobey orders of an officer."
At this the fellow perceptibly weakened. But because the members of the
crew had overheard his threats and feeling like so many cowardly bullies
do that he must make good his word, even though in the wrong, he again
shook the menacing revolver and shouted:
"You fellows keep off or I'll shoot. You can't steal my crew. I'm a
bucko mate, I am. You better sheer off."
"Drop that gun, you villain!" cried Charley Burnett, high up in the
schooner's rigging. At his words the mate turned.
Instantly a ringing voice from the Fortuna called out:
"Now I've got the drop on you! Let that gun go and tell the captain I
want to talk to him or I'll have to shoot."
Tom was perched on top of the Fortuna's pilot house with a rifle in his
hands, the muzzle pointed straight at the mate.
When the coward saw that he was indeed covered by a weapon in the hands
of a determined person, his grasp on his own means of offense loosened,
permitting the revolver to drop to the deck.
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