e here, don't you put in your oar," said a fourth sailor.
"You don't count with us. It's the cap'n that was we're talkin' to."

"I am captain still," said Captain Blossom firmly. "If you don't want
to obey me, you must leave the ship."

"Aint going to leave no ship!" was the cry. "She belongs to us. You
keep off!"

"Yes, yes, keep off!" added the others on the deck.

"The ship is mine," said the captain. "If you refuse to let me come
on board--"

At that moment two other figures appeared on deck.

"Dan Baxter and Jack Lesher!" murmured Dick.

"Captain Blossom, you had better keep your distance," said Lesher in
a voice that showed he was just getting over a spell of drunkenness.

"So you too refuse to let me come on board?"

"I do. The boys have made me their captain, and as such I am bound
to look after their interests. I have told them what you proposed to
do, and they don't intend to stand it."

"Didn't I tell you we'd get square?" put in Dan Baxter, his evil face
glowing with triumph. "We have all that is on board, and we mean to
keep everything."

"This is mutiny!" stormed Captain Blossom.

"Call it what you please," answered Lesher recklessly. "I reckon I
and the boys know what we are doing!"

"That's right!" cried the half-drunken sailors. "Hurrah for Cap'n
Lesher. He's a man after our own hearts!"

"Supposing I demand to be let on board?" went on Captain Blossom.

"Don't ye go, cap'n," whispered old Jerry. "They are in jest a fit
mood to kill ye. The rum has put the Old Nick in 'em."

"You can't come on board, and that settles it," roared Jack Lesher,
drawing a pistol. "Keep your distance."

"Yes, keep your distance," added Baxter, and also showed a firearm.

"This is a fine way to treat us, after what we did for you," said
Dick. "But, wait, Baxter, the end is not yet."

"Bah! I am not afraid," said the bully. "These men are all my friends,
and we know exactly what we are doing."

"Do you expect to remain on the wreck?" asked the captain, after a
moment of silence.

"That is our business," answered Lesher.

"I think you will find that you are making a great mistake, men, to
follow Lesher when you ought to follow me. I have always treated you
fairly, and--"

"Hi! none of that!" roared the mate. "We won't listen to it."

"The men shall listen, if they will. I

"Say another word and I'll fire!" cried the mate, and pointed his
pistol at Captain Blossom's head.

"Do-do you mean that?"