nd into the sailors' quarters; the other, also past a
stateroom or two, but opening to the ice-box room and galley. Both of
these doors now swung slightly ajar, at a suspicious angle that almost
without doubt told me where the men were crouched, and this rendered my
position so inexcusably exposed that swift and vigorous action was the
only choice. With finger tightening on the trigger I dashed at the
nearer of these, giving it a kick that sent it banging against the wall.
The passageway was empty, and thus encouraged I rushed the other door.
Here, again, no foe had lain in ambush.

I was crouched now, sheltered by a strip of paneled wall between the two
doorways. The staterooms on one side must come next, and after them the
galley, with the forecastle beyond, and even beyond this, perhaps, some
kind of a cuddy.

Where the men were hiding God only knew, but hiding they were with
cocked weapons, firmly gripped knives at some point of vantage that had
been carefully chosen--as they expected nothing less than half our crew.
I could almost feel their nearness; so alert were my senses that I
fancied I could smell their sweaty clothes.

Again action spelled success and, marking the first stateroom, I bounded
into it covering the interior with a quick sweep of my automatic.
Nothing! From this I sprang to the second room, showing myself in the
passageway only long enough to cover the space. This, also, was empty.

A third was on this side before the galley should be reached. By my
tactics of quick rushes I had doubtless made too fleeting a target to
draw their fire, so I dashed at this third door. It was closed but
yielded to my shoulder. As I entered, and became instantaneously aware
that it contained no foe, my nerves were fired by the sound of rushing
feet behind me.

Trapped! At such a time a man will ask an awful price for his life--when
he is trapped by merciless villains to whom quarter is an unknown
tongue! Springing behind the door, keeping only my pistol hand and eye
beyond its thin partition, I waited with leveled weapon, ready to drop
the first man who came in sight. He did not keep me long in suspense. It
was Gates, while behind him pressed several anxious faces.

"Thank God, sir, you're not killed," he shouted.

I was glad to see him, there's no denying it!

"Mr. Thomas said he heard you call, so we came a-biling, sir!"

My mind was working rather fast; indeed, it seemed to be thinking at the
rate of a t