l.

"Helping that crowd?"

"Yes. I don't want anything more to do with you, or with Sack Todd
either."

"The young skunk!" muttered the mate of the _Dogstar_. "I told you
I didn't like his looks."

"Say, Dick Rover, let us talk this matter over," said Gasper Pold,
calming down a little. "If you'll be reasonable I am sure we can come
to terms that will be satisfactory all around."

"I don't think so."

"This craft is worth a lot of money, so the mate of the _Dogstar_
says, and there is no reason why all of us shouldn't make a neat pile
out of her."

"Do you want us to go in partnership with you?" asked Tom, in disgust.

"That's it, and if you will, we'll say nothing about your hurting
Sack Todd."

"Is he bad?" asked Sam.

"He is bad enough. We want to get out so that he can have proper
attention and medicine."

"Better give him some of that doctored water," suggested Tom, grimly.

"Don't get fresh, young man!"

"I think you are the one who is fresh!" retorted Tom. "Do you think
we are going to train with such fellows as you? Not much!"

"Then you won't make terms?"

"No," came from the three Rovers.

At this the men at the foot of the iron ladder muttered something
that our friends could not catch. The rascals were furious and wanted
to do some more shooting, but did not dare, fearing shots in return.

"Will you let Sack Todd have some water?" asked Pold, presently.

"There is good water in the bucket," answered Dick.

"That's gone."

"Then you'll have to wait until later for more."

"Todd has got to have water."

At this announcement the boys looked questioningly at each other.

"It may be true," said Dick. "I shouldn't want the man to die just
because we had refused him water."

"It may be a trick, just to get the hatch open again," put in Dan
Baxter. "If I were you I wouldn't trust them. I know that crowd better
than you do."

"You can have water in the morning," called down Dick. "In the meantime
you keep quiet and do what you can for Todd. If you don't keep quiet
you'll get the worst of it."

"Wait till I get my hands on you!" came in the hoarse voice of Sack
Todd. "I'll pulverize you!"

"He's a long way from being dead, by his voice," said Dick. "I reckon
he was playing off on us." And this was largely true. Sack Todd's
wound was painful but by no means serious.

It must be confessed that the boys hardly knew how to proceed. But
presently Dick remembered where he had seen some