ou some
time, captain, and since your schooner is lost you'll now have a
chance to turn to a better business. For the last time I tell you to
be careful with your hands. A sailor man would miss his fingers."

He backed cautiously until his heels touched the ladder, meanwhile
watching the eyes of the man. He knew that the captain was consumed
with rage, but angry and reckless as he was he would not dare to reach
for a weapon of his own, while the pistol confronting him was held
with such a steady hand. He also listened for sounds made by other men
on the ship, but heard none. Then he began to back slowly up the
stairway, continuing his running address.

"I know that your arms must be growing weary, captain," he said, and
he enjoyed it as he said it, "but you won't have to keep 'em up much
longer. Two more steps will take me out upon the deck, and then you'll
be free to do as you please."

It was the last two steps that troubled him most. In order to keep
the men covered with the pistol he had to bend far down, and he knew
that when he could no longer bend far enough the danger would come.
But he solved it by straightening up suddenly and taking two steps at
a leap. He heard shouts and oaths, and the report of a pistol, but the
bullet was as futile as the cries. He slammed down the grating,
fastened it in an instant, ran to the low rail and swiftly lowered
himself and his pack over it and into the sand. Then he ran for the
bushes.

Robert did not waste his breath. Having managed the affair of the
grating, he knew that he was safe for the present. So, when he reached
the higher bushes, he stopped, well hidden by them, and looked
back. In two or three minutes the captain and the two men appeared on
the deck, and he laughed quietly to himself. He could see that their
faces were contorted by rage. They could follow his trail some
distance at least in the sand, but he knew that they would be
cautious. He had shown them his quality and they would fear an
ambush.

He was justified in his opinion, as they remained on the deck,
evidently searching for a glimpse of him among the bushes, and, after
watching them a little while, he set out inland, bearing his burden of
weapons and food, and laughing to himself at the manner in which he
had made the captain serve him. He felt now that the score between
them was even, and he was willing to part company forever.

Youth and success had an enormous effect upon him. When one triump