ike the "doctor's"
coal hammer and smash in a bottom plank. That'll stop any sich little
gime as you speaks of, Sam.' And a'ter a little more talk, Sam ups and
does it while you was below, asleep."

"The scoundrels!" ejaculated I fiercely. "So they are absolutely
determined to murder us, are they? Very well; their blood be on their
own heads! Now listen to me, Harry." And therewith I unfolded my final
plans, and gave him a few last instructions; after which Harry went on
deck again, to be there in the event of any of the others taking it into
their heads to go on deck and have a look round.

Anxious to get as much rest as possible, I flung myself down upon one of
the sofa-lockers; but my nerves were just then rather too tautly strung,
and all my senses too keenly on the alert, to admit of anything like
sound sleep, and I simply dozed, hearing Harry's every movement on deck,
until the grey light of dawn began to ooze down through the skylight,
when I went to my berth, soused my head in a basin of cold water, had a
good refreshing wash, and then went on deck to look round; the people
forward appearing on deck at the precise moment when I emerged from the
companion. They seemed to be rather disconcerted at seeing me, but I
feigned not to have noticed it, devoting my immediate attention to the
weather. It was quite fine now, with a nice little royal breeze from
about due east; the sea had gone down wonderfully during the night, and
there was very little more than the heavy swell to contend with, while
even that looked a great deal more formidable than it really was. As
for the brig, she was much more buoyant than I had expected to find her;
I gave her fully six hours longer to live--quite long enough to enable
the wretches who meditated my destruction to repair and launch the boat
that they had wilfully damaged, while the job would occupy them long
enough to enable me to gain a good start and get clear away from them.

The cook went to his galley, and lighted his fire, quite in the ordinary
way, and set about preparing breakfast, while the rest, going to the
_City of Cawnpore's_ gig, looked into her, talking together in low
tones. Then they cast off the gripes and tackle falls, and lowered her
until her gunwale was just level with the rail, when they began to pass
into her and stow the kegs of water, provisions, and other matters that
they intended taking with them; and by the extreme care that each man
bestowed