"Maybe it's a snake," said Williams.

Again Jack shuddered a trifle, but he held his ground. His hands rested on his revolvers.

The sound of creaking twigs reached the ears of the three who stood silently there in the forest. At a sign from Jack, each man got behind a tree and each drew his revolvers. Hardly had they thus screened themselves when half a dozen men burst into view, walking along slowly and laughing.

The men, although they carried rifles, appeared peaceable enough, so Captain Glenn, thinking to bring their long search to an end, stepped forward after they had pa.s.sed and raised his voice in h.e.l.lo.

Instantly the strangers wheeled about. The man nearest Captain Glenn raised his rifle to his shoulder and his hand pressed the trigger. At that distance a miss would have been impossible. Captain Glenn brought up his own gun, but before he could fire Jack's gun spoke. The man who had covered Captain Glenn dropped to the ground with a wild cry.

Jack's promptness undoubtedly had saved his commander's life.

Saved thus from almost certain death, Captain Glenn quickly sprang behind a tree. Jack and Williams were also sheltered and now held the strangers at a disadvantage. Apparently believing, however, that the hidden men would shoot them down where they stood, one who appeared to be in command of the others raised his voice in a shout. He spoke in English.

"To shelter, men!" he cried.

At the word each man sprang for the nearest tree. Neither Jack, Williams nor Captain Glenn felt impelled to shoot them down in cold blood so all reached shelter safely enough. Jack peered from behind his tree a moment later. As he did so a bullet whizzed by his ear.

"It's a fight," the lad called to Captain Glenn.

"Apparently they don't want us to explain."

Jack sank to the ground and again peered forth. Some distance away he saw a shoulder protruding from behind a tree, Jack raised his rifle and fired.

The man pitched forward into the open with a cry. His cry was echoed by the others, and Jack felt a second bullet whiz overhead.

"Pretty close," the lad muttered, "but it's only four to three now."

For a time all was silent in the forest. Then one of the enemy, more venturesome than the others, darted across the open in an effort to get closer to Jack and his friends.

This time it was the revolver of Williams that spoke and the man dropped in his tracks.

For some time now the enemy showed no disposition to expose himself to the fire of Jack and the others. The forest was as still as death.

Jack began to fidget.

"By Jove! This is getting tiresome," he said.

"Must be some way of getting rid of those fellows." He raised his voice and called Captain Glenn. "Cover me," he said. "I'm going to shift my position."

He did not wait for an answer. There were two sharp crashes as he dashed from behind the tree. Jack felt a sting in his left arm and knew that he was not badly hurt. As he jumped behind another tree, he heard Captain Glenn's voice:

"I got him!"

Jack was now so close to the tree behind which Captain Glenn stood that he found he was able to converse with his commander without raising his voice.

"This thing is getting monotonous," he said.

"Exactly," agreed Captain Glenn; "besides which, it is altogether foolish. We haven't anything against these fellows and they surely can't have anything against us."

"You are forgetting the men we have shot, sir," said Jack.

"No, I'm not. That was their own fault. I vote we hold a parley with the remaining two."

"Whatever you say, sir," said Jack.

Captain Glenn raised his voice. "h.e.l.lo, there!" he cried. "We want to talk to you."

"Talk ahead," said a voice so close that Captain Glenn started.

Apparently one of the enemy had shifted his position. He now was concealed behind the tree next to the captain. Apparently he had been biding his time until the latter should show himself. However, Captain Glenn showed no alarm.

"Then listen," he said. "We have nothing against you fellows. You don't even know us. Therefore why should we fight?"

"Well," said the man behind the next tree, "that's good enough reasoning. I'm willing to call it off any time you say."

"Very good. Drop your gun and step out in the open."'

"And let you shoot me down? I guess not."

"Come, man, don't be a fool," said Captain Glenn. "We mean you no harm."

"Then you fellows drop your guns and step into the open," was the reply.

"Not much," said Captain Glenn.

The conference was at a deadlock.

"Look here," said Jack, taking a hand in the conversation. "I have a plan that will possibly meet your favor."

"Let's hear it," was the rejoinder.

"We'll throw our rifles into the open and toss out our revolvers. Then you do the same. We'll all step out then."

"Very good," said the hidden man. "Throw yours out first."

Jack hurled his rifle from him and tossed one revolver into the open.

Captain Glenn tossed away his revolvers and rifle, and Williams, acquainted with the plan by a shout, followed suit. The unseen men did likewise. Captain Glenn and Williams stepped out. Their adversaries also left their hiding places. Then Jack saw that one of them covered Captain Glenn and Williams with a revolver. Jack smiled, and taking deliberate aim fired. The man's weapon dropped from his hand.

CHAPTER XVIII

CAPTIVES

When "Captain Jack" admitted to Frank that he was a full-fledged pirate, the lad's first thought was to draw his revolvers and open fire. That was why he dropped his hands to his guns following his exclamation of "Pirates."