One syllable aloud on deck will mean your death. Walk in
front of me, up the main companion, and go straight to the ship's side."
"But, senorita!--"
The hammer of the revolver began to rise under the pressure of Elsie's
finger on the trigger. The man's hair rose even more rapidly. His
nerve was broken. He turned along the corridor in front of her, not
knowing the instant a bullet might crash into his head. The girl
followed so closely that she almost touched his heels. The dog would
have trotted in front, but she recalled him.
When Suarez reached the port rail of the promenade deck, Elsie breathed:
"Climb, quickly, and go down into the canoe by the rope ladder you will
find there."
"The canoe!" gasped he.
"Quick! One, two,--"
Up went Suarez over the rail. He found the top-most rungs of the
ladder. As he descended, the revolver followed his eyes. When his
head was level with the deck the order came:
"Take the dog and go down."
"I cannot, senorita."
"You must try. You are going down, dead or alive."
He did try. Joey scuffled a little, but Suarez caught him by the neck,
and made shift to descend.
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