time, if
they should attack before we are ready, we must hold the ladders to the
last."

One by one the officers stole out from the cabin with bare feet, and
made their way up to the quarterdeck, until some thirty of them were
gathered there, being all the officers of the regiment, the naval
officers, and midshipmen. The night was a dark one, and this was
accomplished without the movement being noticed by any of those in the
waist of the ship.

CHAPTER VI: A COMMISSION

The moments passed slowly and anxiously, for if the mutineers were to
pour up from below before the cartridges arrived and the lieutenant had
got the petty officers and men on whom they could rely ready for action,
it was improbable that the officers would be able successfully to oppose
the rush of the men, armed as these would be with matchlock and pike.

The mutineers, however, believing that there was no occasion to hurry,
were quietly carrying out their intentions. The noncommissioned officers
had all been seized, tied, and placed under sentries, whose orders were
to pike them if they uttered a word. A strong guard had been placed at
the foot of the gangway to prevent any of the soldiers who were not in
the plan from going on deck and giving the alarm. The muskets were not
loaded, as on embarkation all ball cartridges had, as usual, been stowed
away in the magazine; but they reckoned upon obtaining possession of
this at the first rush. The ringleaders proceeded to form the men in
fours, so that they could pour on to the deck in military order. The men
of each company were told off to separate work. Two companies were to
clear the decks, where, on their appearance, they would be joined by
their comrades there, and to overpower any sailors who might offer
resistance.

Another company was to run down and secure the magazine, and, breaking
it open, to serve out cartridges to all. Two other companies were to
rush aft and overpower the officers; the sixth and seventh were to form
round the head of the hatchway leading to the decks where the sailors
slept, and to allow only those to come on deck who had entered into the
plot. The other three companies were already on deck. The arrangements
were excellent, but the care taken in preparing for them, and the
necessity for doing this in silence lest the stir should be heard and an
alarm be given on deck, occupied time which the officers were turning to
advantage.

As soon as the captain and naval m