ed revolver spoke out, and
then Kettle nipped into the deck-house and slammed the door to on his
heels. The black ape-like faces jabbered and mowed at the window ports,
and brawny arms were thrust in, grappling viciously, but the Mate drew
out camp-stools from a locker, and with these the three white men
stabbed and hit at every face or arm which showed itself. There was no
more shooting, and there was no need for it. By sheer weight of blows
the whites kept the enemy from climbing through the windows, and so long
as the windows were not stormed, the iron house was safe to them. And
presently one of the head-men blew his boatswain's whistle, and the
attack drew off.

Promptly Kettle reloaded his revolver and stepped out into the open.
"Now," he said, "you seen my _ju-ju?_ You savvy him too-big _ju-ju_? You
want any more of it? No. Then get away aft with you. You hear? You lib
for bottom deck back there, one-time." He rushed at them, one slight,
slim, white-clad white man against all that reeking, shining mob, and
they struggled away before him in grotesque tumblings and jostlings,
like a flock of sheep.

But at the break of the deck he paused and looked below him, and the
fight all dropped away from his face. No. 3 hatch lay open before him,
with the covers thrown here and there. From it was creeping up a thin
blue smoke, with now and then a scarlet trail of flame. Here was a
complication.

"So you gluttonous, careless brutes have set fire to her, have you?
Here, who was in the engine room?"

Discipline was coming back. A man in black trousers, with a clout round
his neck, stepped out.

"You? Well, slip below, and turn steam into the donkey."

"Steam no lib, sar. Cranes die when we try to work him just now."

"Oh, you holy crowd of savages! Well, if we can't use the hose, you must
hand buckets--and sharp, too. That fire's gaining. Now then, head-men,
step out."

"I second head-man, sar."

"I head-man, sar."

"Get buckets, tubs, tins--anything that'll hold water, and look sharp.
If you boys work well now, I'll overlook a lot that's been done. If you
don't, I'll give you fits. Try and get below, some of you, and pull away
what's burning. Probably you'll find some of your dear relations down
there, drunk on gin and smoking pipes. You may knock them on the head if
you like, and want to do a bit more murder. They deserve it."

But though half a dozen of the Krooboys, who were now thoroughly tamed,
tried to get