"I thought not. Well, when I presently have finished my business--which, by the way, has been increased since your arrival--I shall make my way back to my vessel and put to sea again. I shall bother none of the Germans nor any ships of war unless they bother me--my business is with ships of commerce, where there is booty to be had--and when I have reaped enough I shall go to America, where I shall live the life a gentleman should."

"You'll make a fine gentleman," said Jack sarcastically.

"You think so?" said Davis, apparently unruffled. "So do I. But time presses. I am sorry I can entertain you no longer. You will please precede me from this room and upstairs."

He arose, and with one revolver, motioned the lads out the door. There was nothing for it but to comply; for both lads realized that while they might have jumped Davis, one of them probably would be shot down; nor was it for his own sake that each hesitated.

They preceded Davis up the stairs and into a large unfurnished room. As he entered, Jack looked toward the window. It was heavily barred and the walls of the room, he saw, were very thick. Once locked in that room, the lad realized, there was little hope of escape.

"Now," said Davis, "please cross the room and stand with your backs to me. I shall leave you here to amuse yourselves. You will have lots of time, for, I venture to say, the room will not be entered for months to come--not until I return, which may not be for months. Then I shall give myself the pleasure of calling on you. Now, good-bye. Turn and face the wall, please."

Jack realized that it was now or never and he took a sudden decision.

"Face the wall, Frank," he commanded quietly. "It's no use."

Frank obeyed.

"You too, if you please," said Davis blandly, flourishing a revolver, while at the same time he returned the other to his pocket.

"Look here, Davis," said Jack quietly, "this thing has gone far enough.

We have been highly amused with your entertainment, but now it is time to call a halt."

Davis looked at him expectantly.

"Well?" he queried.

"Just this," said Jack calmly. "Unless you drop that revolver this minute, I shall have to take it away from you."

He gazed at Davis steadily.

The latter's shifty eyes could not meet the steady gaze of the lad and he looked away, but kept Jack covered with his revolver.

"Oh, I guess not," he said.

"Oh, yes I shall," said Jack easily.

"Come," said Davis, pulling himself together and raising his revolver so it pointed between Jack's eyes. "Enough of this. Get back there now or I shall fire."

Instead, Jack took a step forward, still looking Davis squarely in the eyes.

"Put down that gun!" he commanded sharply.

His tone startled Davis, and for a brief moment he allowed the weapon to waver; and in that moment Jack leaped upon him.

Taken off his guard, Davis nevertheless still had time to raise the revolver and fire. Jack staggered back as he felt something like a red-hot iron pierce his right arm; and the member dropped limply to his side.

Again Davis fired, but Jack ducked even as he pulled the trigger and the bullet pa.s.sed over his head.

There was a cry from behind him and Frank pitched forward to the floor.

The bullet had struck him a glancing blow on the side of the head.

Jack's heart grew sick as he heard his chum's cry, for he realized in a flash what had happened; but he did not turn his head to look. Instead, stooping low, he leaped lightly forward and seized Davis' pistol arm even as the man fired again. Jack jerked the arm upward at the moment the weapon went off and the bullet pa.s.sed him harmlessly. Then, with a vigorous wrench, the lad twisted the revolver from Davis' hand and kicked it to one side as it fell to the floor at his feet. Then he struck Davis sharply across the face with his left hand, and as the man staggered back, thrust his hand into the pocket where so recently Davis had placed his second revolver.

Davis grabbed at it but too late.

Jack stepped back and, walking across the room, picked up the other weapon. Then, opening the door, he tossed both weapons outside, closed the door and faced Davis.

"I've still got a couple of guns in my own pockets," he said quietly, "but I'm going to thrash you within an inch of your life without use of a weapon--and with a bad arm besides. I may shoot you later, I haven't decided about that yet. It all depends upon how badly you have hurt my friend here."

He stepped forward and aimed a hard blow at Davis with his left fist.

Davis stepped aside and the blow missed. At the same time Davis swung hard with right and left and the second blow caught Jack on the helpless right arm. Jack winced but said nothing. He was deadly cool, and he advanced upon Davis smiling.

"Now," he said, "I'll give you an imitation of how I treat a dog like you."

He backed Davis into a corner of the room by a series of single-arm feints and then struck out heavily. Davis put up both arms to block the blow but it did him no good. His guard was swept away as though it had been a feather and the heavy blow crashed through and caught him in the face.

Davis staggered back with arms covering his face protectingly and again Jack struck him heavily between the eyes. Davis fell to the floor in a heap, where he lay whining. Jack stood over him angrily.

"Get up!" he commanded quietly. "Get up and fight. I'm not through with you yet."

Davis grovelled upon the floor, seeking to clasp the lad's knees.

"Get up!" commanded Jack again.

Davis made no move to rise.

Jack stretched out his uninjured arm and jerked the man rudely to his feet.

"Put up your hands and fight," he ordered. "Don't show yourself the dog you are!"

Davis did as Jack commanded and aimed a blow at the lad's head.

Jack promptly knocked him down again.

A second and a third time this was repeated; but after the last fall Davis grovelled and moaned like a whipped child.

Jack gazed down at him in disgust.

"And I hadn't half begun," he said angrily. "However, I can't stand here and knock down a man who will make no attempt to defend himself. I am through with you now. You can go."

Slowly Davis raised himself to his feet and moved toward the door, looking furtively about as he did so. As he reached the door, he sprang suddenly outside with a loud cry. Jack sprang after him and seized his arm just in time to deflect a bullet he would have fired from a revolver he picked up without.

"I thought so," said Jack grimly. "I thought that was about your size. I had it all figured out, only when it came to a show down I couldn't do what I had intended. I had intended to let you pick up your gun, and when you tried to shoot me, to kill you. But I can't do it. Get out of here now before I change my mind."

Davis started to move along the hall, but at that moment there were heavy footsteps upon the stairs and a moment later a figure in the full uniform of a German battleship commander stood before them.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded in a harsh voice.

He glanced at the two quickly, and then realizing that he apparently was talking to a German naval officer, and his subordinate, he addressed Jack.