ho was in charge of the men on the main deck--
Mr McCarthy and Frank Harness having been sent below by Captain Dinks
along with the starboard watch--stood meanwhile, staring aghast at the
delinquents and not knowing what to do, "like a stock fish," as Mr
Meldrum thought, looking on the scene.

It was a critical moment.

Captain Dinks, of course, hearing the steady "clink, clank" of the pumps
stop, knew that something had occurred, and guessed the cause; but he
waited to hear what the second mate would say before he interfered,
nudging Mr Meldrum to call his attention, although the latter was
already listening with keen interest.

"Do, my men," they could hear Adams entreat the rebellious gang, "do put
your hearts into it and start work again! It won't be for long, you
know."

"A cursed sight too long for me!" said Moody, interrupting him with a
coarse laugh. "You aren't a going to come over us with your soft
sawder, nor the skipper neither! I, for one, ain't agoing to have any
more o' this slave-driving work! Why should we sweat our hearts out
trying to keep the old tub afloat and drive her to shore, when we can
reach there quite as well in the boats, without half the trouble? I
votes for quitting her at once--what say you, mates?" and he turned
round to the others, seeking their support.

"Aye, aye!" shouted several voices together with acclamation. "Let us
have no more pumping or slaving; but quit the ship at once and leave the
cussed thing to sink. To the boats! To the boats!"

Captain Dinks thought he had allowed the matter to go far enough. The
time for action had arrived, and he was ready.

"Hold!" cried he, in clear ringing tones that penetrated fore and aft
the vessel and which could be heard above every other sound, advancing
to the top of the poop ladder and drawing a revolver from his pocket as
he spoke. "The first man who touches either of those boats without my
orders, I'll shoot like a dog!"

At the first sound of his voice the men had stopped speaking, and now
there was a dead silence in which you could have heard a pin drop. Not
a movement was made by any of the men--all standing still as if turned
to stone.

"Do you know that what you are doing, men, is rank mutiny?" continued
the captain, taking advantage of the occasion. "Return to your duty at
once, however, and I'll think no more about it. What I am making you do
is for the good of us all, and I wouldn't give you a moment's