id Lesher, and started to row away.

"Come back, I say!" cried Dick, and, rushing into the house, he
appeared with a shot-gun.

"What are you going to do, Dick Rover?" questioned Baxter in alarm.

"I am going to make you come back," was the oldest Rover's very quiet,
but determined, answer.

CHAPTER XXI

THE ATTACK ON THE WRECK

The appearance of Dick with the shot-gun disturbed Jack Lesher quite
as much as it did Dan Baxter, and the mate stopped rowing instantly.

"Hi! don't you fire at us!" he cried.

"Then come back here," said Dick.

"Haven't I a right to visit the wreck?"

"I am not sure that you have. Anyway, you must wait until Captain
Blossom returns."

"It seems to me that you are carrying matters with a high hand, young
fellow."

"Oh, Dick, be careful!" whispered Dora. "They may become desperate."

"Don't worry, Dora," he whispered in return. Unless I miss my guess,
one is as big a coward as the other."

"I hope ye aint goin' too far, Dick," said old Jerry, in a low tone.

"Don't you intend to stand by me, Jerry?"

"To be sure I do; but the mate is the mate, ye know."

There was an uncertain pause all around.

"There is no harm in my visiting the wreck," growled Jack Lesher
presently.

"Perhaps not, but you had better wait until Captain Blossom gets back."

"I only want to get some things that belong to me."

"And I want to get my extra clothes," said Baxter. "These are in
rags, as you can see."

"Then wait until after breakfast and we'll all go over," said Dick,
but he had scarcely spoken when he felt sorry for the words.

"Oh, Dick, don't trust yourself with them!" cautioned Dora.

"We want to hurry, for I want to go back to where I left the sailors
before night," answered Lesher.

"Then we'll have breakfast at once."

Rather reluctantly the mate turned back to the shore and he and Baxter
left the boat. Then the girls prepared breakfast with all haste.
Lesher ate but little, but eagerly tossed off the glass of liquor
Dick allowed him.

"Give me one more," he pleaded, but Dick was firm, and the mate
stalked away muttering under his breath.

Before Dick entered the rowboat he called Jerry aside, and handed
the old sailor a pistol.

"We had better go armed," he said. "Keep your eyes open, for they
may try to play us a foul trick. And don't let Lesher talk you into
obeying him. He has no authority whatever over you."

"All right, Dick, I'll stand by ye always from