ndfold to
the sea. Two men were set to transferring powder and arms from the
forehold to our captain's cabin. One went hand over fist up the
mainmast and signalled the Ste. Anne to close up. Jackets were torn
from the deck-guns and the guns slued round to sweep from stem to
stern. With a jarring of cranes and shaking of timbers, the two ships
bumped together; and a more surprised looking lot of men than the crew
of the Ste. Anne you never saw. Pierre Radisson had played the rogues
their own game in the matter of signals. They had thought the St.
Pierre in league, else would they not have come into his trap so
readily. Before they had time to protest, the ships were together, the
two captains conferring face to face across the rails, and our sailors
standing at arms ready to shoot down the first rebel.

At a word, the St. Pierre's crew were scrambling to the Ste. Anne's
decks. A shout through the trumpet of the Ste. Anne's bo'swain and the
mutinous crew of the Ste. Anne were marched aboard the St. Pierre.

Then M. Radisson's plan became plain. The other ship was the better.
M. de Radisson was determined that at least one crew should reach the
bay. Besides, as he had half-laughingly insinuated, perhaps he knew
better than Chouart Groseillers of the Ste. Anne how to manage mutinous
pirates. Of the St. Pierre's crew, three only remained with Radisson:
Allemand, in the pilot-house; young Jean Groseillers, Chouart's son, on
guard aft; and myself, armed with a musket, to sweep the fo'castle.

And all the time there was such a rolling sea the two ships were like
to pound their bulwarks to kindling wood. Then the Ste. Anne eased
off, sheered away, and wore ship for open sea.

Pierre Radisson turned. There faced him that grim, mutinous crew.

No need to try orders then. 'Twas the cat those men wanted. Before
Pierre Radisson had said one word the mutineers had discovered the deck
cannon pointing amidships. A shout of baffled rage broke from the
ragged group. Quick words passed from man to man. A noisy, shuffling,
indeterminate movement! The crowd swayed forward. There was a sudden
rush from the fo'castle to the waist. They had charged to gain
possession of the powder cabin--Pierre Radisson raised his pistol. For
an instant they held back. Then a barefoot fellow struck at him with a
belaying-pin.

'Twere better for that man if he had called down the lightnings.

Quicker than I can tell it, Pierre Radis