What of him?"
"He is a thief and ran away from San Francisco to escape the police."
"It's a falsehood!" roared Dan Baxter. "They have made a mistake. I
am a respectable man just out of college, and my father, Doctor L.
Z. Brown, is a well-known physician of Los Angeles. I am traveling
to Australia for my health."
"His real name is Daniel Baxter and his father is now in prison,"
said Tom. "He robbed us of our money and some diamonds while we were
stopping at a hotel in San Francisco. The detectives followed him
up, but he slipped them by taking passage on your ship."
"I tell you my name is Brown--Robert Brown!" stormed Baxter. "This
is some plot hatched up against me. Who are these fellows, anyway?"
he went on, turning to the captain.
"They came from the steamer we ran into," answered Captain Blossom.
"I never saw them before."
At this moment Dora touched the captain on the shoulder.
"Please, captain," she said, "I knew Dan Baxter quite well and I am
sure this young man is the same person."
"It aint so. I tell you, captain, it is a plot."
"What kind of a plot could it be?" asked Captain Blossom. He scarcely
knew what to say.
"I don't know. Perhaps they want to get hold of my money," went on
Baxter, struck by a sudden idea.
"That's right, we do want to get hold of the money!" cried Sam. "For
it belongs to us--at least two hundred and seventy-five dollars of
it--not counting what he may have got on the diamonds and the cuff
buttons.
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