he had left off.

"Help!" he squeaked, "help! Lemme be! Put me back on shore, I tell
yer! I'll have every last one of yer in State's Prison for this.
It's abducshun,--that's what it is,--d' yer hear? It's abducshun!"

"Yes, and you've already got assault and battery against us, and
smothering-with-a-pillow, to say nothing of burglary, breaking
and entering, and banjo-playing after 10 P. M. We won't any of us
live long enough to serve out our sentences, not even if we get
old enough to make Methuselah look like a spring-chicken."

"And if you go on with that yelping, my friend," added Sprague,
"we'll add piracy on the high seas, keel-hauling, drowning in a
sack, and hanging at the yard-arm to our list of accomplishments.
I would have you know that we are desperate men. This person"--
pointing to the Chief, "is the only law-abiding one amongst us.
If you'll be good and quiet, and sit down and behave until we are
well away, you will come to no harm."

"And we'll let you exchange legal chit-chat with the Chief
Justice, here," added Pete.

But nothing could quiet the captive. He broke away from them, ran
up to the bow, and began once more to call for help. At this, Pete
and Sprague seized him and gently led him down into the cabin.
They closed the cabin doors and left him there. Instantly he began
to pound and thump on the deck.

"Let him thump," said Sprague, "it's time we departed."