Chapter XI. A Sensational Scene - Page 2

with the agility of a cat. He ran up to Harry, and grasped his hand with evident emotion.

"You have saved my life!" he said. "I will always be your friend. I would lay down my life for you."

"It's all right, Jack," said Harry, rather shyly. "You would have done the same for me."

"Yes, I would," answered Jack, heartily, "But there's no one else who would have done it for me."

"Are you going to leave me out, my boy?" asked the Yankee, with a smile on his plain but good-natured face.

"No, sir," responded Jack. "You stood up to the captain like a man. He didn't frighten you."

"No, I wasn't much scared," drawled Stubbs, contorting his features drolly. "But, I say, young man, I've got a piece of advice to give you. You don't seem to be much of a favorite with the captain."

"It doesn't look so," said Jack, laughing in spite of the danger through which he had passed.

"Just you keep out of his way as much as you can. When a man gets as full as he does, he's apt to be dangerous."

"Thank you, sir; I will."

Among the spectators of the scene just described, the most panic-stricken, probably was Montgomery Clinton, the Brooklyn dude.

After the captain had gone below, he walked up to Harry, whom he regarded with evident admiration.

"I say, you're quite a hero. I was awfully frightened, don't you know, when that big bully aimed at the sailor boy."

"You looked a little nervous, Mr. Clinton," said Harry, smiling.

"You were awfully brave, to knock the pistol out of his hand. I don't see how you dared to do it."

"I didn't stop to think of danger. I saw that Jack's life was in danger, and I did the only thing I could to save him."

"I'm glad you're not put in irons. It must be awful to be in irons."

"I don't think I should like it, though I never had any experience. You'd have stood by me, wouldn't you, Mr. Clinton?"

Clinton was evidently alarmed at the suggestion.

"Yes, of course," he said, nervously; "that is, I would have gone down to see you on the sly. You wouldn't expect me to fight the captain, don't you know."

Harry could hardly refrain from smiling at the idea of the spindle-shaped dude resisting the captain; but he kept a straight face as he answered:

"I look upon you as a brave man, Mr. Clinton. When I get into trouble, I shall be sure to call upon you."

"Oh, certainly," stammered Clinton. "But I say, Mr. Vane, I hope you'll be prudent; I do, really. Captain Hill might shoot you, you know, as he tried to shoot the sailor boy just now."

"If he does, Mr.