The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Pacific

“You’ll never get my money,” raged the millionaire.

“We won’t, eh?”

“Never.”

“Hunger makes a lot of difference, Mr. Jukes,” smiled Broom.

“So you mean to starve us into submission, eh?” demanded Jack. “I don’t see how such rogues can exist. Judson, you are the worst young hound I ever heard of.”

In high rage the boy’s enemy stepped up to him and deliberately struck him a heavy blow in the face, which Jack was, of course, powerless to return.

“Yes, a cowardly trick like that is in perfect accordance with what I know of your nature,” said Jack with menacing quietness.

“You dare say that again,” screamed Donald, beside himself with anger, “just you dare and I’ll – ” He ended with a shake of his fist.

“Oh, you can’t scare me, even if I am tied,” said Jack scornfully.

His perfect calmness added fuel to the fire of Judson’s rage.

“I’ll fix you,” he yelled, “I’ll – ”

“Judson, be quiet,” ordered Broom, and the boy subsided. “Now,” went on the free-booter to Mr. Jukes, “your best plan, if you don’t want to lose a few pounds, will be to make out a check for that money. Of course, we’ll have to keep you here till it’s safely cashed, otherwise you might, and probably would, stop the check. But – ”

“Don’t pay a cent, Mr. Jukes,” interrupted Jack.

Judson stepped suddenly forward and struck the helpless lad another stinging blow. It was such a hard one that Jack’s senses swam for a minute.

“Shame on you, you young villain,” cried Mr. Jukes. “He is helpless, otherwise you wouldn’t dare lay hands on him.”

“Who says so? I could lick him any day,” swaggered Judson imprudently.

“Have you people no sense of right and honesty in your compositions?” demanded Mr. Jukes.

But this appeal had no more effect on Broom than it would have had on adamant.

“We’re no worse than you millionaires, if all the papers say is true,” he retorted. “You rob in your way, we rob in ours. We’re not quite so refined about it, perhaps. That’s the only difference, Mr. Jukes.”

“You ruffian! Do you compare business, – legitimate business, – with your rascally trade?”

“My rascally trade, as you please to term it, is business, – legitimate business, – to me,” returned Broom.

“Are we to have any food?” demanded the millionaire abruptly.

“When you listen to reason, yes.”

“And your idea of reason is that I consent to pay that preposterous ransom?”

“Your insight does you credit, Mr. Jukes. Sign that check and you shall have all you want to eat within the poor limits of my larder, and reasonable liberty till it is cashed. After that you are free to go where you will.”

“Our friends will raise a hue and cry for us,” declared Jack. “They’ll find us and put you where you belong, behind the bars.”

Broom and young Judson turned away and left the hut by another door from the one by which they had entered.

“You think they will pay?” asked Broom, with some anxiety in his voice.

“I’m sure they will. Even a tight-wad old millionaire will pay up when it comes to a choice between that and starving.”

“Then you think they are sure to give in?”

“Without a doubt. Then it is only a question of waiting for the money and getting out.”

“I don’t mind that. But I didn’t like what they said about their friends following us here.”

“Why you said nobody knew the way here through the swamps but yourself along that path we came last night.”

“That’s true, but then there’s the river. However, it would be impossible to see the old fort from below and anyhow the cliff is fifty feet high and easily guarded.”

“Of course you are foolish to worry. However, perhaps if they don’t give in in a day or two we had better be moving along. That young Ready’s chum, Billy, has given me trouble before.”

“Well,” said Broom, “we’ll see how things come out. If they don’t want to perish in the swamps they’ll have to come by the river. From now on I’ll have that cliff guarded.”

“Yes, and if any rescue party comes they’ll get a big surprise,” was young Judson’s reply.

CHAPTER XXIX. – THE RESCUE PARTY

“I wish I’d gone along with them,” muttered Raynor to himself as he slipped on his socks and boots so as to be ready instantly in case of alarm. “I don’t like the look of this thing at all.”

For some minutes he sat there listening intently. But no sound came from outside.

“I guess I’ll just join them anyhow,” he resolved to himself, getting on his feet. “This waiting is too nerve-racking. I’ll – ”

The boy halted where he stood. A loud shout from the jungle reached his ears.

“Something has happened!” cried the boy.

He reached for his pistol, and hastily buckling it on, he was about to rush out of the hostelry when a wild figure appeared.

“Help! There’s murther goin’ on. Help!”

It was Muldoon, fleeing before three of Broom’s followers. But as the pursuers came in sight of the hotel they halted. The next moment they were in active retreat.

“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” gasped Raynor.

“Those spalpeens out yonder. They’ve captured Misther Jukes and Jack Riddy.”

“We must rouse the others at once and go in pursuit,” decided Billy.

He hurried off to awaken Captain Sparhawk, while Muldoon aroused Salloo, who in turn, soon had his native followers astir. It did not take Captain Sparhawk much longer to get into his clothes when he heard Billy’s alarming news than it did for the natives, who were not embarrassed by garments, to adjust what few they did wear.