said Dick. "I'd like to know if it is serious."

"Well, I am not very sorry for him," said Sam. "He's a thoroughly
bad egg."

"We want to make certain of Dan Baxter," went on the eldest Rover.
"He may fool Hans."

They walked toward the cabin and ran down the companionway. At the
lower doorway they paused and then Tom grinned.

On one side of the room was Dan Baxter with his hands in the air. On
the other side was Hans, with a pistol in each hand.

"Ton't dare to mofe," Hans was saying. "Of you do I vos put oxactly
fourteen shots into your poty, ain't it!"

"I am not moving," grumbled Baxter. "Didn't I tell you I am sick of
the whole thing, Dutchy? I don't want to fight, or anything."

"Tan Paxter, you chust remember dot old saying, beoples vot lif in
glass houses ton't got no right to tell fish stories," answered Hans,
gravely.

"Hans, that's a good one!" roared Tom, coming forward. "Say, you're
a whole regiment in yourself, ain't you?"

"Yah, I vos so goot like ten or sefenteen soljers, alretty!" answered
the German youth, proudly. "Paxter, he ton't got avay from me, not much!"

Hans lowered his pistols and Dan Baxter was glad enough to put down
his hands. Dick glanced into the staterooms and saw that the two
sailors were still sleeping heavily.

"We'll throw them down into the hold," said the eldest Rover. "That
will keep them out of mischief, when they awake."

"Vot apout dem men?" asked Hans, anxiously.

"All prisoners," answered Sam.

"Prisoners!" ejaculated Dan Baxter.

"Yes, Dan, they are prisoners, down in the engine room," answered
Dick. "We've given them the same dose they gave us."

"Then you are in possession once more?"

"Yes--as far as it goes. And I want to talk to you as soon as we've
disposed of these sailors," added Dick.

"Shall I help you carry them out?"

"Do you want to?"

"If you wish it."

"Mind you, I don't want any trick played, Dan."

"I won't play any trick, Dick--I give you my word."

"This is a serious situation and we don't propose to take any more
chances. We are on top and we mean to stay on top," added the eldest
Rover.

While Hans held a lantern, the three Rovers and Dan Baxter carried
the two sailors through the cabin and out on the deck. Tom was working
with the former bully of Putnam Hall and declared afterward that he
never felt so queer in his life. But Baxter worked with a will and
did his full share of lifting.

The hatch to the hold was not fa