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Page 35
Madge's cheeks were burning. She was so angry that her throat felt dry
and parched. "Don't pay any attention to him," she called indignantly.
Tom Curtis hesitated.
"I don't fight when I have a woman guest on board the boat," he
declared doggedly. "Once I run my boat in to the pier, you will answer
for this."
"Never mind threatening me: I'm not afraid of you. You know you have
got to land me where I say. What do you care about where you land? It
is where _I_ land that is important." Again the stranger made a rush
for the tiller.
Tom sprang upon him. The two were evenly matched, and Madge held her
breath as she watched them struggle. Brownie, Tom's setter dog, sprang
for the stranger's leg, then retreated to one end of the boat howling
with pain. The intruder had swung back his foot and dealt the dog a
savage kick.
The rain had now begun to fall heavily, and the deck soon became
slippery as glass. The two young men continued to struggle. Tom
realized that he was endangering Madge's life, as well as his own, in
this reckless battle on the deck of a small boat. He thought he now
had the advantage. If he could only settle his hateful passenger with
one swift blow all would he well. With this thought in mind he tore
himself from the grasp of his antagonist, but he had forgotten the
slippery deck. His foot shot out from under him, and he went down in a
heap, falling heavily on one shoulder. The stranger sprang upon him,
and now it was the ungrateful passenger who had the advantage and was
mercilessly pushing him with both arms toward the edge of the boat.
Slowly Tom gave way, inch by inch. He was conscious of a racking pain
in his shoulder. He tried to raise his right arm; then a feeling of
faintness swept over him, he reeled, and, before Madge could move to
his help, Tom Curtis fell backward into the water.
CHAPTER XII
A BRAVE FIGHT
"Bring her to!" cried Madge imperiously, starting toward the stranger,
who now stood by the tiller.
"I can't bring her to, I'm no sailor," answered the young ruffian
coolly. "I didn't push your friend overboard; he fell. You had better
sail the boat yourself instead of standing there giving me orders."
Madge regarded the stranger with horrified eyes. "You did push him
overboard," she accused. "I saw you do it. If he drowns, you will be
held responsible."
"I didn't, I tell you. Better be careful what you say. It wouldn't
take much to send you after him," was the stranger's menacing retort.
With a look of withering scorn Madge coolly turned her back on the
intruder. She would not take the trouble to bandy words with him. She
was too angry to experience the slightest fear of this scowling,
ill-favored youth. Her superb indifference to his threat made a
visible impression upon him. With a muttered word he slouched to the
bow of the boat, where he crouched, glaring at her with the eyes of an
angry animal brought to bay.
Although not more than a minute had passed since Tom disappeared over
the side of the boat it seemed hours to the frightened girl. She must
act quickly or Tom would be lost.
During their sail she had watched Tom Curtis manoeuvre the boat and had
paid particular attention to his manner of "bringing it to." It had
appeared to be a comparatively simple process and she laughingly
remarked that she believed she could do it herself. Now the
opportunity had come to prove her words. Grasping the tiller, she
brought the boat directly into the eye of the wind. A moment later the
sails flapped in the breeze, and the boat floated idly in the heavy
rolling sea.
The stranger had not in reality given Tom the final shove that sent him
overboard. At the edge of the boat he had suddenly relaxed his hold,
and Tom, faint from the pain of his injured shoulder had toppled
backward. The shock of striking the water revived him somewhat, and as
he felt himself slipping down he made a brave effort to swim, then,
finding it useless, managed to turn on his back and float.
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