--"

"We were shamming, that's all. But I haven't got time to explain
everything, Baxter. Where are the others?"

"On deck, or down in the engine room, I guess--all but the two beasts
in there," and Baxter pointed to the overcome sailors.

"What brought you in here? Were you going to sleep?"

"Sleep! I--I couldn't sleep, Dick; honestly I couldn't!"

"Why?"

"Because I--I--But what's the use, you won't believe me." And Dan
Baxter hung his head for a moment.

"Maybe I will. Tell me why."

"I came away from them because I was sick of their doings, that's
why. I--I am sick of all of it,--sick in body and in mind, too."

"You didn't want to see us doped, as they call it?"

"No! no!"

"And that is why you warned us and gave us that good water?"

"Yes."

"Dan, you're a little bit more of a real man than I thought you were.
I thought you were willing to do anything against me and my brothers."

"Well, I was once, but now--But what's the use of talking, you won't
believe me. And why should you? I've been against you ever since we
first met."

"That's the straight truth, Dan, and you've done some pretty mean
and desperate things."

"I don't know why I did them, Dick--honestly I don't. Lots of times
I knew you and your brothers were right and I was wrong. But the Old
Nick got in me and I--well, you know how I acted. Now I'm an
outcast--nobody decent wants to have anything to do with me. Even my
own father--" Dan Baxter stopped short.

"See here, Dan, I haven't time to talk now," said Dick, after a short
and painful pause. "I didn't expect this of you. The whole question
just now is this, Are you going to fight or keep quiet?"

"Are you going to fight those others?"

"Yes, if it becomes necessary."

"I don't want to fight any more."

"Then will you keep quiet?"

"I will. But, Dick--"

"Well?"

"If you capture those men, are you going to hand them over to the
police?"

"Certainly."

"And hand me over, too?" And again Dan Baxter hung his head.

"Don't you deserve it?"

"I suppose so. And still I--er--I thought you might give me another
chance. Oh, that's what I want, another chance! You know how my father
has reformed. I want to reform, too. I want to go away somewhere and
begin all over again."

"Dan, come with me."

"Where to?"

"To the others. You can talk with them while I take a look on deck."

The former bully of Putnam Hall demurred but Dick insisted, and soon
the pair had joined S