llow, poured out
a stiff dose into another pannikin, and passed it to him. Then he took
some himself.

"Pass along that pannikin, boys," he said; "you might as well have a
skinful while you are about it."

The men obeyed the treacherous scoundrel with alacrity. Like their
shipmates who had perished the previous night, they were thoroughly
intemperate men, and were only too delighted to be able to get drunk so
quickly.

Filling their pannikin, which held a pint, to the brim, Chard poured
half of it into his own empty tin, and then passed them both to the men.
They sat down together on the bottom boards amidships, and then raised
the pannikins.

"Here's good luck to you, Mr. Chard, and you, skipper."

"Good luck, men," replied Hendry, watching them keenly as they swallowed
mouthful after mouthful of the fiery stuff, which from its strength
was known to the crew of the _Motutapu_ as "hell boiled down to a small
half-pint."

Ten minutes passed, and then as the darkness encompassed the three
boats, a sudden puff of wind came from the eastward. Hendry hailed the
mate.

"Here's a squall coming, Mr. Oliver; haul in your painter."

He cast off the tow line, and Chard lowered the mainsail and jib, the
two firemen taking not the slightest notice as they continued to swallow
the rum.

In another five minutes the white wall of the hissing rain squall was
upon them, and everything was hidden from view. Hendry swung his boat's
head round, and let her drive before it. The other boats, he knew, would
keep head on to the squall, and in half an hour he would be a couple of
miles away from them.

The captain's boat drove steadily before the rushing wind, and the
stinging, torrential rain soon covered the bottom boards with half a
foot of water. Chard took the bailer, and began to bail out, taking no
heed of the firemen, who were lying in the water in a drunken stupor,
overcome by the rum.

At last the rain ceased, and the sky cleared as if by magic, though but
few stars were visible. Chard went on bailing steadily. Presently he
rose, came aft, took a seat beside Hendry and looked stealthily into his
face.

"Well?" muttered the captain inquiringly, as if he were afraid that
the two poor wretches who but a few feet away lay like dead men might
awaken.

For the moment Chard made no answer, but putting out his hand he gripped
Hendry by the arm.

"Did you hear what Carr and Atkins said?" he asked in a fierce whisper.

Hen