The impaled man wriggled awkwardly to his feet,--for I was giving him time,--and with a grin and shrug made a pitiful attempt to treat the arrest as a pleasantry.
"Stand facing that end of the guard-line," I ordered, pointing.
"Come, Henry," he said to one of the conspirators. The bravado was clearly sham.
It jerked Lenardo straight, and he came forward and stood where I had directed.
The young man addressed as Henry slouched up with a faint trace of Lenardo's swagger, but my sharp "Step lively!" electrified him into firmer action, and his grin went sour.
"Hobart!" I next called. I selected him for the third, for I knew his independent, rebellious nature, his courage and pride, and wished the severest test of the discipline to come at once.
Because we had been good friends and he knew that I respected him, he stared incredulously, but found me a stranger. Then a vicious look flared in his face, and, still sitting, he fingered the handle of a heavy iron vessel on the table while regarding me defiantly.
"I won't be made a fool of in this way!" he cried, rising, his face blazing, his hold on the iron vessel tightening.
"You two guards on the left, do your duty!" I commanded.
They hesitatingly advanced upon him. Making a great scattering of frightened women and children, Hobart stepped back, brandished the vessel, and shouted:
"I'm a free American citizen, I am! I'm a law-abiding man and I know my rights! Stand back, there," to the guards, "or I'll------"
"Two more guards from the left. Step lively!" I called.
The advance of the four guards was checked by a diversion. Mr. Vancouver, who had been sitting in apathetic silence, suddenly spoke out with biting clearness:
"Hobart, it is the duty of every one here to submit to authority."
The young man opened his mouth in astonishment, and instantly drooped; the vessel clattered from his hand to the ground.
"I won't make trouble now," he grumbled, "but we've been played low down by somebody, and I'll-----"
With a threatening shoulder-lift at Mr. Vancouver, which deepened that gentleman's pallor, Hobart sullenly fell in. I quickly called out the other culprits; all obeyed and stood in line facing the guard. Then I looked round at Captain Mason for orders.
