he weapon in place. He had taken note
of these facts when the prize-crew first came aboard.

Before attempting to carry out the desperate plan he had so suddenly
conceived for securing this particular rebel, Jack swept a hasty glance
over the deck to calculate his chances for success. They could not have
been better. There was not another one of the prize-crew in sight; but
just across from him, on the other side of the deck, stood Stebbins, one
of the Green Mountain boys who had worked at the capstan with him. Other
members of the crew were making a pretense of being busy at something in
the waist, but they were one and all keeping a close watch on the second
mate, and there were hand-spikes, axes, or belaying-pins within easy
reach. Jack made a warning gesture to Stebbins, and the sailor at once
reached for his capstan-bar. With two quick, noiseless steps Jack placed
himself close behind the dreaming rebel, and thrusting his left arm over
his shoulder seized his musket with a firm grasp, while at the same
time, with his right hand, he deftly slipped the revolver from its
holster.

"Not a word--not a whisper!" said Jack, placing the muzzle of the heavy
Colt close to the rebel's head. "Let go that gun. Stebbins, take off his
cutlass and buckle it around your own waist."

When the captive recovered himself sufficiently to look around, he was
astonished to find that he was confronted by four of the brig's foremast
hands, all of whom carried weapons of some sort, which they held
threateningly over his head. There was no help for it, and he was prompt
to obey both Jack's orders; that is to say, he gave up his gun and kept
his lips closed.

"Lead him aft, Stebbins, and stand guard over him with your cutlass,"
commanded Jack. "If he tries to run or give warning to his companions,
cut him down. Smith, take this musket and keep a sharp eye on me. The
officer is in the cabin, and I don't think the old man means to let him
come out very soon."

Stebbins moved off with his prisoner. Smith and the other two sailors
stationed themselves where they could see everything the second mate
did, and the latter advanced close to the companion-way so that he could
look down and obtain a view of the interior of the cabin. At the very
first glance he saw something to discourage him.

"The moment the old man told me to watch all that went on in the cabin,
that moment I understood his plan," said Jack. "And when I afterward
compared notes