"What are you going to do when we bring the rest
of the sailors over here? We'll be eleven to seven then."
"Never mind what we'll do," said Dora. "I would rather have the
company of some of those sailors than your company."
"That is where you make a mistake. The sailors are all rough fellows,
some of them worse than Jack Lesher. Now, if you are willing to count
me as a friend, I'll stand by you when the crowd comes over."
"We don't want your friendship, Dan Baxter, so there!" cried Nellie.
"We know your past, and we know that you cannot be trusted."
"Don't think I am as good as the Rovers, eh?"
"We all know that you are not," answered Grace.
"What have you done to Dick Rover?" questioned Dora. "He ought to be
here long before this."
"Oh, I guess the storm is holding him back," said Baxter, shifting
uneasily as she gazed earnestly into his eyes.
"If anything has happened to Dick, I shall hold you responsible,"
said Dora.
At that moment the fury of the storm cut off further talking. A sudden
rush of wind had come up, whistling through the jungle and bringing
down a palm close to the house with a crash. The fall of the tree
made Baxter jump in alarm.
"The house is coming down!" he cried, and ran outside.
The wind made the waves in the bay rise higher and higher until they
lashed furiously in all directions. Then came another downpour of
rain, which caused the bully to seek shelter again.
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