ghtly, and
he whispered an order to the men:

"Close round."

The crew eagerly pressed up to him, and he spoke.

"We've got to wipe out a disgrace, my lads--hush! don't cheer, let them
think we are doing nothing."

"Ay, ay, sir," came in a low growl.

"I say, my lads, we've got to wipe out a disgrace, and the sooner the
better. One hour ought to be enough to get on deck and drive these
scoundrels either overboard or below. Then I think there'll be some
prize-money to be earned, for they are sure to be running a cargo
to-night. Silence! No cheering. Now then, to work. Waters, how are
we to get up the hatch?"

"Powder, sir," said the gunner laconically.

"And blow ourselves to pieces."

"No, sir, I think I can build up a pile of hammocks and fire
half-a-dozen cartridges atop of it, and blow the hatch off without
hurting us much below."

"Try it," said Hilary shortly. "You marines, come aft into the cabin
and we'll get the ventilators open; you can fire through there."

The four marines and their corporal marched into the cabin, where a
couple kneeled upon the little table, and two more stood ready to cover
them, when the folly of attempting to blow off the hatch became apparent
to Hilary; for he saw that he would do more harm to his own men than
would warrant the attempt.

"Get axes," he said.

This was done, and the gunner brought out a long iron bar used in
shifting the long gun, but he muttered a protest the while that there
was nothing like the powder.

"Silence there," cried Hilary. "Waters, pass that bar to Tully, and you
with your men go forward and keep the fore-hatch. If they open it and
try to come down to take us in the rear when we begin to break through
here, up with you and gain the deck at all costs. You understand?"

"Ay, ay, sir."

"I'll send you help if you get the hatch open. Go on!"

The gunner and half-a-dozen men went forward and stood ready, while at a
sign from the young officer the dimly-seen figure of Tom Tully took a
couple of steps up the cabin-ladder, and there he stood with the bar
poised in his bare arms ready to make his first attack upon the wooden
cover as soon as the order reached his ears.

Just then a rattling noise was heard, and the hatch was evidently about
to be removed. The next moment it was off, and the light of a lantern
flashed down, showing that half-a-dozen musket barrels had been thrust
into the opening, while about them flashed the blades