Part 23 (1/2)
”I'll talk with you later,” he muttered, with a sickly smile, then turned away
”If you do,” Jack called after hi captain felt Hal Hastings's strong, irip on his arm
Radwin, fortunately, did not turn, but kept on until he had taken hilance on his chu look seemed to say:
”Silence! Wait!”
”What was the row about?” asked a stranger a,” returned Eph Sonal from Hal all three of the subrees the little crowd melted away
Then Jack Benson turned to his chum, to ask, in a low voice:
”What did you ood reason for checking me as you did”
”I was afraid you would hit Radwin,” Halstruck, if I had!” uttered Captain Jack, bitterly
”Oh, yes! You would have struck at our chances of winning out in these subs
”What do youstartled
”If you had hit Radwin, in the presence of all those witnesses, you would have been right in line to be arrested for assault”
”Pooh!” jeered Captain Jack ”A small fine, which I could easily pay”
”But the inconvenience of being locked up, at such a tis
”Mr Farnuh”
”I don't believe you see all of the point yet,” murmured Hal, earnestly
”Suppose Radore out a warrant against you for striking him Then suppose he paid a court officer to wait and serve the warrant just as the boats were starting out on soo ashore, and we'd either have to go on without our captain, or else draw out of the test Fine business, that, when our first and only business is to make the Pollard boats the number-one winners in as many tests as possible!”
”Great Caesar!” exploded Jack, realizing, nohat a narrow escape he had had from another disaster to their couard,” Hal went on with his wise counsel ”No one--at least, no one in your own crowd--doubts your grit, or your willingness to clinch with Radwin and fight it out to a copper-riveted finish I don't bla to thrash Radwin every time you think of poor Dave Pollard up at the hospital I want to do it h, or he'd have sneered at you, and provoked you into hitting hiht ar, what a fine chance he missed Then he'll put himself in your hen there are witnesses around”
”Thank you, Hal,” nodded Jack Benson, his voice unusually quiet ”You've given et it Until the tests are all over Radwin may parade before me, and mock at me, if he wants But afterward--!”
CHAPTER XV