k of murderous hatred, and his utterance almost
choked him as he replied--

"I shall give my orders presently. But where are the other firemen--five
of them are missing."

"Six of them rushed this boat," answered the mate quietly; "two of
them--those scoundrels there," and he pointed to the two in Hendry's
boat, "let the after fall go by the run, and drowned the others."

"I hold you responsible for the death of those men," said Hendry
vindictively.

"Very well, sir," answered the mate, "but this is not the time nor place
to talk about it."

"No," broke in Atkins fiercely; "no more is it the time or place to
charge you, Captain Hendry, and you, Mr. Chard, with the murder of the
two native seamen whose bodies we saw lying on the main hatch."

Hendry's face paled, and even Chard, self-possessed as he always was,
caught his breath.

"We fired on those men to suppress a mutiny----" began Hendry, when
Oliver stopped him with an oath.

"What are your orders, I ask you for the second time?" and from the
natives there came a hissing sound, expressive of their hatred.

Chard muttered under his breath, "Be careful, Louis, be careful."

Suddenly the second steward raised himself from the bottom of Oliver's
boat, where he had been lying, groaning in agony, and pointed a shaking
finger at Chard.

"That's the man who caused it all," he half sobbed, half screamed. "'E
told me to let Tim Donnelly go into the trade-room, and it was Donnelly
who upset the lamp and set the ship afire. 'E sent Donnelly to 'ell,
and 'e's sending me there, too, curse 'im! But I'm goin' to make a clean
breast of it all, I am, so help me Gawd. 'E made me give the young lady
and the girl the drugged coffee, 'e did, curse 'im! I'll put you away
before I die, you----"

He sank back with a moan of agony and bloodstained lips as Chard, with
clenched hands and set teeth, glared at him savagely.

A dead silence ensued as Harvey picked up a loaded Winchester, and
covered the supercargo.

"You infernal scoundrel!" he said, "it is hard for me to resist sending
a bullet through you. But I hope to see you hanged for murder."

"You'll answer to me for this----" began Chard, when Oliver again
interrupted.

"This is no time for quarrelling. Once more, Captain Hendry--what are
your orders?"

Hendry consulted with Chard in low tones, then desired first of all that
the wounded native should be taken into Oliver's boat.

The mate obeyed under protest. "I