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capsizing or breaking her masts. The waves were now running high, too,
and Rob began to be worried.
Presently the captain of the pirates stuck his head out of the cabin door,
jabbered some unintelligible words and pointed to the sails. The boy
nodded, for he understood they wanted to attend to the rigging. So the
crew trooped forth, rather fearfully, and began to reef the sails and put
the ship into condition to weather the storm.
Rob paid no further attention to them. He looked at his traveling
machine rather doubtfully and wondered if he dared risk its power to
carry him through the air. Whether he remained in the ship or trusted
to the machine, he stood a good chance of dropping into the sea at any
moment. So, while he hesitated, he attached the machine to his wrist
and leaned over the bulwarks to watch the progress of the storm. He
might stay in the ship until it foundered, he thought, and then take his
chances with the machine. He decided to wait until a climax arrived.
The climax came the next moment, for while he leaned over the bulwarks
the buccaneers stole up behind him and suddenly seized him in their
grasp. While two of them held his arms the others searched his pockets,
taking from him the electric tube and the silver box containing his
tablets. These they carried to the cabin and threw upon the heap of
other valuables they had stolen. They did not notice his traveling
machine, however, but seeing him now unarmed they began jeering and
laughing at him, while the brutal captain relieved his anger by giving the
prisoner several malicious kicks.
Rob bore his misfortune meekly, although he was almost ready to cry
with grief and disappointment. But when one of the pirates, to inflict
further punishment on the boy, came towards him with a heavy strap, he
resolved not to await the blow.
Turning the indicator to the word "up" he found, to his joy and relief, that
it would yet obey the influence of the power of repulsion. Seeing him rise
into the air the fellow made a grab for his foot and held it firmly, while
his companions ran to help him. Weight seemed to make no difference
in the machine; it lifted the pirate as well as Rob; it lifted another who
clung to the first man's leg, and another who clung to him. The other
two also caught hold, hoping their united strength would pull him down,
and the next minute Rob was soaring through the air with the entire
string of five buccaneers dangling from his left leg.
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