"What are you trying to propose?" demanded Budthorne.

"That you swear to me by all you hold sacred, by the memory of your mother and the fear of G.o.d, that you will not prevent me from making your sister my wife, either by word, deed or suggestion. That is all I ask."

"And if I do that-what then?"

"I will outwit the others. I will lead you from this place when they know nothing of it. We will take the boat and row away. When we arrive at the inn, I will tell how I found and rescued you from Rob MacLane, Hector Marsh, and Luke Durbin. You will say it is true, every word to the last. After that my own cards I will play, and your sister will I win, for I have the power to make her mine."

Always self-confident to an amazing degree, knowing his influence over Budthorne, and believing he could force the man to do his will, Bunol believed that in this manner he might make himself a hero in the eyes of Nadia, might ensnare her in his hypnotic net, and might obtain her for his own at last.

But all the while he was playing double with Budthorne, for he had outlined his plan to Durbin and Marsh, promising to wring money from both brother and sister if he succeeded, and to divide liberally with his accomplices. Rob MacLane was to be paid a set sum for his services.

"What if I refuse?" asked Budthorne.

"Then I shall leave you here alone in the dark to meditate upon it a time."

"You fool!" panted the captive. "You were crazy to fancy you could force me into such a thing! Not in a thousand years!"

Bunol shrugged his shoulders.

"It is you who are foolish," he a.s.serted. "Look into my eyes a moment, Budthorne, and--"

"No! no!" hoa.r.s.ely cried the young man, as he suddenly started forward, his hands clinched, resolved to attack his enemy. "I'll fight you here, man to man."

The Spaniard struck those clinched hands aside and gave Budthorne a thrust that sent him again to the wall, against which he struck and then dropped to the floor.

"Very well," said Miguel. "Having thought it over, you will change your mind, I believe. I will leave you to consider it all."

s.n.a.t.c.hing the torch from the crack, he strode from the room, closing and barring the heavy door behind him.

CHAPTER IX.

THE FIGHT IN THE CASTLE.

The night was on the wane when Miguel Bunol returned and found the shivering, half-frozen captive stretched on the bare floor.

Budthorne lifted his head from his curled arms and looked at his enemy with eyes filled with fear and hatred.

"Leave me to die!" he hoa.r.s.ely said. "You can never force me to sacrifice my sister!"

"Still obstinate!" sneered Bunol. "I had hoped to see a change in you.

Unless you decide at once to comply, you will have to remain here through another day, for morning approaches, and we can leave this island only by night."

"I'll never give in! I'll never surrender to your evil influence! You--"

The speaker stopped suddenly, starting up and listening, for from some distant portion of the old ruin came a sudden cry of alarm. This cry was followed by others and then a shot was heard!

For a moment, as Budthorne struggled to his feet, Miguel Bunol stood amazed and thunderstruck. Then he snarled out an oath and wheeled toward the door.

With a sudden burst of strength, Budthorne dashed at the fellow and leaped on his back, clutching him round the neck with both arms.

At the same time he lifted his voice and shouted for help.

Budthorne believed rescuers had arrived.

He was right. With m.u.f.fled oars, a boat containing four persons had noiselessly approached the island, slipping into the dark shadows of its wooded sh.o.r.e.

The four in the boat were d.i.c.k Merriwell, Brad Buckhart, Zenas Gunn, and Aaron, the latter having provided the boat and accompanied them in the effort to find and rescue Budthorne.

Professor Gunn was shaking like a man with the ague.

"Bub-bub-bub-boys," he whispered, as d.i.c.k and Brad cautiously stepped out of the boat, "I th-th-think I had bub-bub-bub-better remain here and gug-gug-gug-guard the bub-boat."

"That's right," agreed d.i.c.k. "You'll serve us better here than you will to go with us. But don't go away. Wait for us, no matter what happens."

Aaron, who was determined to undo the wrong d.i.c.k had led him to believe he had committed toward Widow Myles, led the boys under the crumbling wall and into the grim and silent castle.

To Professor Gunn it seemed that ages pa.s.sed, but at last his heart was sent quivering into his throat by the sounds that came from the interior of the ruin. There were hoa.r.s.e shouts, a shot, and a m.u.f.fled voice calling for help.

The professor wrung his hands.

"How can I ever tell Frank that I let his brother go to his death in this manner!" he moaned. "Both those brave boys will be murdered, and I feel that I am responsible for it."

Within the castle the terrifying sounds continued for a time. At last the old professor was startled to see appear on a portion of the wall, faintly outlined against the sky, two dark figures. They grappled, one of them seeming huge and giant-like, while the other was much smaller.

Holding his breath in horrified suspense, Professor Gunn watched the brief struggle. The larger man seemed easily to conquer his antagonist, and the professor heard him hoa.r.s.ely snarl:

"Ye runty de'il, ye ha' played traitor on Rob MacLane, ha' ye? It's th'

last thing ye e'er do!"

Then the giant lifted the little man in his arms to hurl him from the wall.

At that moment another figure appeared. There was a flash of fire and the ring of a pistol shot.

The giant dropped the little man, flung up his hands and both plunged from the wall.

The shaking old man by the boat heard the one who had fired the shot exclaim:

"Great tarantulas! I sure opine that's the end of both of them!"

It was Buckhart, the fighting Texan; but a moment later he had disappeared.

Then, as the still trembling professor crouched by the boat, he was startled to see two forms run past, one after the other. Directly the sound of oars came to his ears, and, peering out on the placid face of the cold lake, he beheld a boat that was being rapidly rowed away.

And he could have sworn there were three persons in the boat.