into the lifeboat. His
eye glittered as he tore open the wrapping of the cartridges and
reloaded his revolver. It was long since he had known the complacent
feel of the armed man.

"Now," he said, "there's one more thing. I'm not in uniform, but I hold
a master's ticket, and I've got to be skipper."

"You can take the berth for me," said the Mate. "I'll say outright it's
a lot above my weight."

"And I've offered it to you already," said Sheriff. "Go on, man, and
give your orders."

Captain Kettle's first desire was to get back to the steamer whence the
boat had come, and this the mixed crew of foreigners at the oars had
scruples about carrying out. But Kettle and the Mate got furiously at
work on them with their hands, and in less than a minute the men were
doing as they were bidden, except, that is, a trio who were too badly
wounded to sit up, and who were allowed to wallow on the floor gratings.

The Mate straddled in the stern and steered her with an oar, and the
white painted boat pulled heavily toward the stranded vessel. The
Krooboys in possession were quick to see her coming. A mob of them
gathered on the bridge deck, gibbering and shouting, and threatening
with their hands; and even before the boat drew within range, they
commenced a vigorous fusilade of coal lumps. Kettle had all a cleanly
man's dislike for these dirty missiles, and he halted the boat just
beyond the limit of their fire, and stood up himself, and sighted the
revolver over the crook of his left elbow.

He dropped one man, and the others raged at him. He dropped a second,
and still with an impotent courage they stood their ground. He brought a
third shrieking to the deck, and then, and not before, did the others
turn to run, and he shot a fourth to hurry their going. Then he turned
to the rowers in the lifeboat. "Give way, you thieves," he shouted at
them; "set me aboard whilst the coast is clear.--Mr. Mate, round her up
under those davit tackles."

Again the Krooboys tried to prevent the boarding, but again the fire of
that terrible revolver drove them yelping to shelter, and the boat drew
up with a bump and a swirl under the dangling ropes. Kettle clambered
forward along the thwarts, and swarmed up one fall with a monkey's
quickness, and the Mate, a man of wooden courage, raced him up the
other. Sheriff could not climb; they had to haul him up the ship's side
by brute force in a bowline; and providentially they were allowed to do
this