unnecessary work if I could avoid it!"

"But," interposed Bill Moody.

"Ah, I thought it was you, you scamp, ever trying to foment discord
amongst the crew--a lazy hound, always grumbling and skulking, you're
not worthy the name of a sailor--you are only a thing aboard a ship!
I'll soon settle your reckoning, my hearty!" And, little man as he was,
Captain Dinks sprang down the poop ladder in one bound; and, dashing up
to where Moody was standing, knocked him senseless to the deck with a
blow from the butt end of the pistol which he held in his hand right
across his temples.

"There!" exclaimed he, when the ringleader of the gang was thus disposed
of, kicking his body on one side and spurning it with his foot. "That's
the way I deal with mutineers! Now, man the pumps again, my lads, and
set to work with a will. As Mr Adams told you just now, it will not be
for long that you'll have to stick at it, for we'll soon be able to
beach the vessel, and then your task will cease!"

Cowed by his summary treatment of Moody, rather than encouraged by his
words, the men started pumping again, although without any heartiness,
clink-clanking till daylight, when they were relieved by the other watch
and went below, taking Moody with them--that worthy having regained his
consciousness after a time, in consequence of the water in the lee
scuppers, where he was lying, washing over him and acting more
efficaciously than the application of smelling-salts or sal volatile
would have done under other circumstances.

Before the mutineer went below, however, he turned his scowling face
towards the poop, the blood all streaming down from a rather ugly cut on
the left temple, and shook his fist in the direction of Captain Dinks,
although the latter did not see the gesture, for his face was turned at
the moment to the binnacle.

But, Mr Meldrum saw it.

"You'll have some more trouble yet from that fellow!" said he to the
captain, relating what he had seen and telling how Moody looked.

"Pooh!" exclaimed the captain. "He's only a bully and a lazy grumbler;
and all bullies and grumblers are curs at heart!"

"Ah," said the other, "but those sort of sneaking chaps are just as
likely to knife you as not when your back's turned, though they would be
afraid to face you pluckily, like a man."

"Let him knife away," replied Captain Dinks. "That is, if I give him
the chance! I fancy he'll remember that little tap I gave him just now;
and if