tries over the poop party
being the last.

Then the little craft, which appeared loaded down to the gunwales, was
shoved off with a cheer of bravado from the side of the ship, and was
soon lost to the sight of those left behind. The latter, however,
eagerly looked after the boat as it was rapidly borne towards the shore
between the heavy rolling waves that raced after it, until it finally
disappeared in the night gloom.

"Sure an' it's a good riddance they are!" exclaimed Mr McCarthy, rising
to his feet and shaking out his legs to see how far they were capable of
movement after the mauling he had received. "May joy go wid them!"

"I hope the hull durned crowd will git swallowed up in Davy Jones'
Locker afore they git ashore, I dew!" said the American fervently,
stroking his nose tenderly and speaking more nasally than ever through
the injury the organ had received. "Of all the tarnation mean skunks I
ever kim across from Maine to California, I guess they're 'bout the
right down slick meanest--not nary a heathen Chinese would ha' done what
they hev! I'd tar and feather them, I would sure, if I hed the chance,
right away!"

"Never mind them," interposed Mr Meldrum, whose first care after the
mutineers had released him and gone over the side, was to raise up poor
Captain Dinks' head again and feel his pulse. "I have no doubt they
will meet with their proper deserts! Let us see to the captain now. I
think he had better be moved into the cabin, for this night air is doing
him no good; and, besides, we'll there be able to see to his wound
better. However I shall want some assistance."

"I'll hilp you in a minit, sorr," ejaculated Mr McCarthy, who, as soon
as he had satisfied himself that his limbs were pretty sound, had
devoted his energies to opening the hatchway--"that is as soon as I've
unkivered this limbo and let the other hands come up. Faix, an' if them
divils had not battened it down and Boltrope and the Norwegee could a
got at thim, it's too many for tbim we'd ha' been, I'm thinking!"

"I didn't see what they were after," said Frank, "or I would have
slipped the cover before they secured it; but I wonder where Mr Adams
is all this time? Surely he must have heard the row! He ought to have
come to our aid."

"By the powers," exclaimed the first mate, "I niver thought of him till
this blessid minnit! Where, in the name of Moses, can he be? I believe
he wint down and turned into his cot when I did."