Gazing around he saw that nobody was within sight and then he arose to his feet.  With a cat-like tread he came up behind Tom, who still looked at the waves, totally unconscious of danger.

Baxter’s heart beat so loudly that he was afraid Tom would hear it.  Again he looked around.  Not a soul was near, and the gloom of the night was growing thicker.

“He’ll laugh another way soon!” he muttered, and stepped closer.

His fist was raised to deliver a blow when Tom happened to straighten up and look around.  He saw the form behind him and the upraised arm and leaped aside.

The blow missed its mark and Tom caught Baxter by the shoulder.

“What do you mean, Dan Baxter, by this attack?” he began, when the bully aimed another blow at him.  This struck Tom full in the temple and partly dazed him.  Then the two clenched awl fell heavily against the rail.

“I’ll fix you!” panted Baxter, striking another blow as best he could, and then, as Tom struck him in return, he forced Tom’s head against the rail with a thump.  The blow made Tom see stars and he was more dazed than ever.

“Le—­let up!” he gasped, but Baxter continued to crowd him against the rail, which at this point was very weak because of the collision with the steamer.  Suddenly there was a snap and a crack and the rail gave way.  Baxter leaped back in time to save himself from falling, but Tom could not help himself, and, with a wild cry, he went overboard!

CHAPTER XI

A CALL FROM THE STERN

For the instant after Tom slipped over the side of the Golden Wave, Dan Baxter was too dazed to do more than stare at the spot where he had last seen the boy with whom he had been struggling.

“Gone!” he muttered presently.  “Gone!” he repeated and crouched back in the darkness.

The great beads of perspiration came to his brow as he heard rapid footsteps approaching.  Would he be accused of sending Tom Rover to his death?

“What’s the trouble?” came in the voice of Captain Blossom.

Instead of answering, Dan Baxter crept still further back.  Then, watching his chance, he darted into the forecastle.

“Hullo, the rail is broken!” he heard the captain exclaim.  “Bring a lantern here, quick!”

A sailor came running with a lantern, which lit up the narrow circle of the deck near the rail and part of the sea beyond.

“Somebody gave a cry,” said the captain, to those who began to gather.  “Looks to me as if the rail gave way and let somebody overboard.”

“Tom Rover was on deck,” came from old Jerry.  “Do you reckon as how it was him?”

“I don’t know.  It was somebody, that’s certain.  Call all hands at once.”

This was done, and Dan Baxter had to come out with the rest.  He was pale and trembled so he could scarcely stand.

“All here,” said Captain Blossom.  “Must have been one of the Rover boys or one of the young ladies.”