laint of the
screw, no sound was to be heard. A footstep came from the cabin, where
Dave was at work, or appeared to be, for he had been stationed there for
his part of the programme which was presently to be carried out.

"Steward, light the lamp in my stateroom," said Corny; and Christy was
glad to find that he intended to retire for the night, for he had no
duties to perform unless there was a disturbance on the quarter-deck.

The lamp on gimbols was lighted, and Corny took possession of the room,
and had not a suspicion that he was not its only occupant. He lay down
in his berth after he had removed his coat and shoes, and in a few
minutes Christy judged that he was asleep from the sound of his
breathing, which soon degenerated into a mild snore. Mr. Flint was to
make a beginning in the project, or, as Dave called it, "open the ball."

In less than another half hour, Christy heard a knock on the cabin door,
which was the signal from the second lieutenant that it was time to
begin operations. He crawled to the front of the space beneath the berth
at the sound, and at the same moment Dave came in at the door of the
stateroom, which had been left open.

The steward lost no time in acting his part, the first step of which was
to jam a handkerchief into the half-open mouth of Corny Passford; but he
had been counselled to use no more force than was necessary to subdue
him. Dave then turned him over on his back in spite of his aimless
struggles, for, as he was roused from his sound slumber, he was too much
bewildered to accomplish anything like an effective resistance. The
strap which Christy had provided for the purpose was used in fastening
his hands behind him, and so far as Corny was concerned, the battle was
fought and the victory won.

Christy had crawled out of his narrow quarters under the berth as soon
as Dave began to operate on the sleeper above him, and he stood ready to
assist the steward if his services were required; but there was hardly
anything like a struggle, for Corny had been so completely surprised
that he was incapable of doing anything in self-defence. With his hands
strapped behind him, and with the gag still in his mouth, he was
permitted to remain in the berth under the guard of Dave.

Not a particle of noise had been made in the stateroom; at least, none
that could be heard on the deck above. Christy hastened from the little
apartment through the cabin to the gangway, where he found Mr. Fli