"Surrender!" cried Frank, believing that the very sound of his voice
would do much toward frightening the would-be traitor.
But he hardly expected such a tremendous upheaval as followed. The man,
believing that possibly the "devil-bird" had broken out of its cage and
was about to carry him off in its gigantic beak, gave a shrill scream of
terror, and bouncing up, broke the slender hold Frank had secured upon
his person.
Not to be outdone, Frank, recovering, chased after him. He believed it
his duty to at least learn the identity of the rogue, so that he might
understand just how deeply the conspiracy had taken root in the crew.
Between himself and the hanging lantern he could make out the fleeing
figure of the fellow, and hot in pursuit he followed as fast as his feet
would let him. The man undoubtedly heard him coming, for, if anything,
his fright increased. Out upon the open deck they flew, Frank just a few
feet in the rear. He had even stretched out his arm and touched the
garments of the runner, when with a screech the fellow made a furious
plunge straight over the side of the boat.
He evidently chose to take chances in the swift current of the Magdalena
rather than trust himself in the power of the unknown pursuer, which
doubtless he believed to be the dreaded "devil-bird" that had been
confined in the box cage!
CHAPTER XIV.
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