CHAPTER VIII. THE ATTACK ON THE AIR-SHIP.

Nicodemus had expected something of this kind from the moment he had first seen Dooley on the spot. He knew that trouble could not be averted.

The latter rascal, for such he really was, was keen enough to read all this in Beere’s face.

He was backed by a dozen hardy men himself, and he did not believe that the captain was so well supported. So he was uppish.

Beere gazed steadily at the other for a moment after this virtual declaration of war, and said:

“The largest share of that gold belongs to me. You shall have a fair share. Is not that fair enough?”

“My friend,” said Dooley bluffly, “mighty little of that gold you’ll see, I can tell you. It belongs to me. I claim it and shall divide it as I see fit.”

“You will?”

“Yes.”

“You are a scoundrel!”

“Easy! I can make trouble for you. Back of me are a dozen faithful fellows who will do anything. It will not pay you to dare me.”

Beere was now furious.

He made a menacing gesture.

“You atrocious rascal!” he gritted. “I’ve a mind to flog you!”

“We’re not aboard ship now!” sneered Dooley. “By the way, I am inclined to believe that you are a dangerous character and ought to be taken care of. Hey, boys!”

He blew a shrill whistle. The result was electrical.

Instantly the two men were surrounded. Dooley made a quick sign, and heavy hands were laid on Beere.

The captain saw in that moment that he was in bad hands.

The rascally Dooley certainly meant him harm. The old captain’s blood was up.

“Avast, ye dirty lubbers!” he roared. “I’ll keelhaul every mother’s son of ye if ye lay hands on me. Mark my words!”

“Tie him up!” yelled Dooley. “Seize him there!”

Beere let out with two sledge hammer blows, which were like the kick of a horse. A man went crashing down with each blow.

Then he was overpowered.

He was a strong man and fought furiously. But the odds were too great. He was obliged to succumb.

Dooley was exultant.

“We have come too far, boys, to have any living man stand between us and that gold.”

The others cheered. Then the villain continued:

“Tie him up to that tree yonder. First, I want to learn whether he has any companions or not.”

Then he interrogated his prisoner.

“Tell me the truth, Beere,” he said, sternly; “how many companions have you, and where are they?”

“You must learn that for yourself,” said Beere, firmly. “I can give you no information.”

A curse dropped from Dooley’s lips. He took a step toward the prisoner, saying menacingly:

“We’ll find a way to open your mouth. Before I’ve done with you you’ll be glad enough to talk.”

But Nicodemus was not to be intimidated, though the situation was a serious one for him. He refused to say anything.

But the villains organized a trailing party and followed his footprints backward along the beach. When they had reached a certain angle they looked up and beheld the air-ship.

It was an astonishing spectacle to them.

They managed to creep up near enough to the Spectre to see three men aboard her, one of them colored, and then they returned to their camp.

It was easy for Dooley to decide upon a move.

“We must capture that hurdy-gurdy,” he said; “how in the world it got away up there on that shelf of rock, I do not know.”

The villain did not know that the Spectre was an air-ship. He had fancied it some sort of water craft.

He proceeded to arrange for a descent upon and the capture of the air-ship that night. He felt sure of success.

Meanwhile Frank and Barney and Pomp had been attending to the routine of their duties aboard the Spectre.

It was some while before the captain’s prolonged absence was noted. Then Frank ventured to say:

“Do you think anything has happened to Beere? He ought to be here now.”

“Begorra, that’s thrue!” cried Barney. “Phwere did he go at all, at all?”

“I done seed him goin’ along dat shore early dis mornin’!” declared Pomp.

“Then he is surely in trouble!” said Frank. “We had better set out to look for him. Come on, Barney!”

The young inventor picked up his rifle and flung himself over the rail.

“All roight, sor!” cried Barney, hastening to join him. Frank turned to Pomp, saying:

“Keep a sharp lookout, Pomp. We will be back as soon as possible. Remember, we’re in a dangerous country.”

“Yo’ kin be sure ob dat, sah,” affirmed Pomp. “Neber fear, sah.”

Frank and Barney were quickly on the beach. They walked on until they came upon Nicodemus’s tracks. Then a startling surprise was accorded them.

There were other tracks.

“By Jupiter!” exclaimed the young inventor in amazement, “what does this mean? The captain has fallen in with others and they are civilized also.”

There was nothing to do but to follow the trail. The result was that, after two miles of patient tramping, they came upon the camp of Dooley’s men just as the captain had.

Only they were wiser and kept out of sight.

This was a praiseworthy precaution. Moreover they were directly astonished to see Nicodemus tied to a palm tree. A rascally-looking fellow was just organizing a party of a half dozen armed men.

It looked as if they were going to venture forth upon some daring errand. A startling thought came to Frank.

These men were certainly foes. Their capture of Nicodemus showed that. Was it not their purpose to attack the air-ship?

Frank’s first impulse was to beat a hasty retreat and give them a hot reception. But second thought changed his mind.

He thought of Nicodemus and saw that he needed succor.

“Pomp will be on the outlook,” he reflected; “he can easily fool them. Our duty is here.”

So he whispered to Barney to crouch low in the bushes and await developments.

They were not long in coming.

Dooley and five of his men, armed to the teeth, set forth to capture the air-ship. This left five men in the camp with the prisoner, Beere.

Captain Nicodemus was in a very despondent state of mind. Just as despair was getting a firm grip on him he heard a sibilant whistle at his elbow.

It was so low that it did not travel beyond his ears. He turned his head eagerly.

Then a whisper came to him.

“Don’t get discouraged—we are here to rescue you.”

“Good!” returned the captain. “You missed me?”

“Yes.”

“These fellows are our foes. They are led by Jerry Dooley, one of my ship’s crew, who has come back here for the gold. They will give us trouble.”

Barney had crept up behind the tree. He skilfully cut the prisoner’s bonds.

“Now, sor,” he whispered, “whin the omadhouns ain’t lukin’ at all jest slip into the bushes and cum wid us. Shure we must be afther gittin’ back to the air-ship.”

“All right, Barney,” agreed the captain.

And at the right moment he obeyed the suggestion. In the undergrowth he joined Barney and Frank.

The trio ran hastily along the shore in the verge of the palms. They had made several hundred yards before a loud roar announced that their escape had been discovered.

Then came pursuit.

But they had start enough to keep out of the way. And right here Frank employed a stratagem.

Showing themselves for a moment on the beach, the fugitives next dashed into a copse near. Here they hid while their pursuers ran by them.

The danger was momentarily over. But the fate of the air-ship now became the engrossing subject.

Would Pomp be sufficiently on his guard to repel the attack? But the question was the next moment answered in a satisfactory manner.

The distant rattle of firearms was heard.

“They have made the attack,” cried Frank. “Now all depends on Pomp.”

“Niver yez fear for the naygur,” cried Barney. “Shure, he’ll fool thim aisy enough.”

The rattle of the guns grew momentarily more rapid and clear. It was plain that Pomp was giving them a hot reception.

But that the overpowering numbers would result in the capture of the air-ship would seem certain unless the darky should employ different tactics. And this he was shrewd enough to do.

Seeing that the foe were preparing to charge upon him, the darky acted accordingly.

He sent the air-ship aloft instantly. His companions in hiding below suddenly saw it appear just above them.

“Hurrah!” cried Frank. “Pomp was on his guard. The air-ship is safe.”

“It must be a surprise to Jerry Dooley,” said the captain.

“Bejabers, I hope the naygur will be afther seeing us,” cried Barney. “It’s a foine pickle we’ll be in if he don’t.”

“Oh, I think he will,” said Frank. “Suppose we try a signal!”

The young inventor drew from his pocket a small battery and a steel tube with a pneumatic chamber. He held this tube up a moment and pressed a button.

There was a sharp ping, a recoil, and up into the air shot a small ball of fire. Up it went, and exploding, fell in a shower of sparks.

“My electric rocket,” said Frank, explanatively. “I don’t see how Pomp can fail to see that.”

“Divil a bit!” cried Barney, with exultation. “See, shure he’s got his eye on us already.”

The air-ship came about and bore down rapidly to the spot where the trio stood. Pomp was seen at the pilot-house window.

Down it sank as the darky saw them, and stopped not fifty feet from the ground. Then the darky ran out and threw over the gang ladder.

“Huh! I’se drefful glad to fin’ yo’!” he cried with delight in his voice.