"They were so anxious to protect us before." "I cannot understand it, Dora," returned Nellie.
"There has been foul play somewhere," came from Grace.
"Oh, do you think--" Dora could not finish.
"See here!" burst in the voice of Jack Lesher.

"We want some dinner.
Don't be all day getting it for us." The liquor he had imbibed was beginning to tell upon him..

He looked ugly, and the girls trembled before him.
"Dinner will be ready in a quarter of an hour," said Grace, who had been doing the cooking.
"All right." Lesher turned to the bully: "Baxter, join me in a glass of rum for luck." "Thanks, I will," answered Dan Baxter, who did not particularly want the liquor, but did not dream of offending the mate.
Lesher produced a bottle he had brought away from the wreck, prepared two glasses of rum, and drank with great relish.

Then he threw himself into a chair at the rude dining-table.
"I am the master here, and I want everybody to know it!" he exclaimed, banging his fist savagely.
"There is dinner," said Grace, and brought it in.

"You can help yourself." And she went into the next room to join Nellie and Dora.
"Aint going to wait on us, eh ?" grumbled Lesher, with a hiccough.
"All right, my fine ladies.