A black-browed officer, with angry eyes, came to the rail, and answered in
the same language.
'You have British and French prisoners aboard,' said Strang sharply. 'You
will be good enough to put them all into a boat and send them across.'
'And if I refuse?' retorted the other.
'I shall shell you until you think better of it,' was the calm reply.
The other bit his lips. 'Very well,' he said sullenly. 'I have no choice.'
'Look out for treachery, sir,' said Ken in a low voice. 'That man means
mischief, I believe.'
'He is an ugly looking beggar. But what can he do?'
The words were hardly out of his mouth before the black-browed officer
flung up his arm, with a pistol gripped in his fist, and fired straight at
Commander Strang's head.
Quick as he was, Ken was quicker. As the man's arm came up, so did Ken's,
and seizing Strang by the wrist, he jerked him back.
Before the man could fire a second time, one of the bluejackets had raised
his rifle and shot him through the body.
Pages:
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258