Give me back those papers."
[Illustration: "Give me back those papers."]
He had the envelope still clasped in his left hand, and he glanced at
it dully, and then beyond me toward Hutton. Apparently his brain, yet
numbed by the blow, failed to entirely comprehend. The Lieutenant,
however, was a man of action. With grip on his collar he jerked the
poor wretch to his feet, and held him there.
"Hand over those papers to Craig," he ordered shortly, "and be lively
about it. I have n't anything to do with that affair, and I don't
think you will have much more from now on. You are my prisoner, and
you are good for a ten spot at least. Stand up, you coward." He
forced him back against the rail, and glanced about the deck. The
boatswain was coming aft.
"Well, Sloan, how did you find things?"
"All serene, sir; the whole crew bottled up, and mighty little fight
left in them."
"The engine room?"
"The engineer was a bit ugly, sir, and had to be man-handled proper.
He 's lyin' in a coal bunker with a sore head, cussin' blue. But the
assistant is a young fellar, an' kin run the engines. I left him in
charge with a couple o' lads lookin' after him."
"Who has the wheel?"
"Somers, sir."
"All right; have steam kept up, and make the course south, southeast.
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