up so tight
that they won't get out until we open the doors for 'em."

Whilst speaking he had produced his knife from his pocket, and,
notwithstanding the intense darkness, soon hacked out the half-dozen
wedges, which, though very roughly shaped, were still good enough for
the purpose.

"Now, sir," said he in a low tone to George, "you take these three, let
Cross go with you and slide-to the lee-door with a slam, and then you
slip in the wedges and jam them tight home, while I will do the same to
wind'ard, as soon as I hear Cross close the lee-door."

George took the wedges, and, accompanied by Cross crept noiselessly up
to the galley-door to leeward, Mr Bowen meanwhile making his way to the
corresponding door on the weather side. There was a loud slam, a moment
of silence, then a tremendous outcry, accompanied by the sound of heavy
battering from inside the galley, and the three adventurers met again at
the forecastle hatch.

"Now, then," cried George, "we haven't a moment to lose, so let us
capsize the hawser bodily. Are you ready? Then, one--two--three,
Heave!"

By exerting their whole strength to the utmost the heavy hawser was
rolled off the hatch, and the hatch itself raised, just as two figures
came rushing forward from the quarterdeck with loud and angry outcries.

"Tumble up, my lads!" shouted George down the scuttle; "tumble up
smartly, and help us to retake the ship."

"Ay, ay, sir," was the eager answer from below, and then the skipper,
drawing his cutlass and pistol, turned to meet the prize-master and the
helmsman, who had both hurried forward to learn the meaning of the
disturbance in the galley.

"Surrender, or you are a dead man!" exclaimed George, thrusting the
muzzle of his pistol into the face of the as yet only half-awake
prize-master.

"Oui, oui, m'sieu; oh, yais, I surrendaire," exclaimed the poor fellow,
as he felt the firm pressure of the cold pistol-barrel against his
forehead; and hastily unbuckling his cutlass, he thrust it into George's
hand.

The chief mate, in the meantime, had incontinently felled the other man
to the deck with a single blow from his fist, and had then left Cross to
secure him with a rope's end. The barque's crew had meanwhile made
their way on deck, and were now clustered about their officers, anxious
to know what they were to do, whilst the _Aurora_, left to herself, had
shot up into the wind's eye, and was now lying stationary, with all her
square can