He was grasped roughly by the shoulder and violently shaken. The giant captain, with an evil look in his eyes, stood above him, a huge seaman's knife glimmering in his hand under the light of the guttering lamp.
"Now, younker," he said, in his hoarse tones, with a ferocious look, "I ain't goin' ter beat about the bush. I've come after that money of yourn."
"What money?" demanded Jack, deeming it wisest to "spar for time," and see if he could not devise some way out of the dilemma.
"Now, don't play foxey, Mister Yankee kid," snarled the huge fisherman; "you know as well as I do. The money in that belt I heard you talking to your chum about."
"I know nothing about it," declared Jack. "When I paid you I gave you almost all the money I had. I am looking to get fresh funds in Antwerp."
The man tightened his grip on the boy's shoulder and fairly yanked him out of the bunk. He placed his knife between his teeth and compelling Jack to hold his arms above his head he searched him. Jack's heart sank. He knew the money belt was in the bunk under the pillow. Beyond doubt this desperate ruffian would search the sleeping place before very long and discover its hiding place.
"So it ain't on you," snarled Hoeseason, when he had finished his search, "but I'll bet a guinea it ain't far away. Stand where you are and don't move as you value your life while I overhaul the bunk."
A moment later an exclamation of savage delight burst from his bearded lips.
"Ah! Here it is. See, younker, I was bound to find it and---- What the----?"
As the giant of a man stood half-facing him, Jack gathered himself for a crouching leap. He sprang straight at the man's legs and, catching him entirely by surprise, brought him to the floor with a crash that could be heard above the raging of the storm.
[Illustration: Jack gathered himself for a crouching leap and sprang straight at the man's legs.--Page 156]
"Help me, quick. He'll be too much for me alone."
Bill clambered out of his bunk with alacrity as soon as he saw what was going forward. Hoeseason, who had been, luckily for Jack, slightly stunned by the fall, lay still. In his fall the knife had flown from his hand and lay half-way across the cabin.
"The knife, Bill," panted Jack, "the knife before he comes to. I dare not take chances with him."