and
wishes to do what is right. Thus I am kept informed of all the purposes
of the mutineers, who are not likely to take us by surprise, as they
have not yet secured any of the arms."

We settled, to prevent them from doing so, to lock up all the small arms
and ammunition in one of the after cabins, without allowing the crew to
know what we had done. Lancelot then directed Martin to go forward, as
he wished not to excite suspicion by keeping him in the cabin longer
than was necessary. We at once armed ourselves, and either Martin,
Lancelot, Dick, or I kept watch on deck, while we took care always to
have two trustworthy men at the helm.

Martin assured us that the mutineers had no suspicion that their designs
were known. The weather had again become fine, and we ran through the
Straits of Gibraltar. The moment the mutineers proposed to execute
their plan was approaching. Martin brought us word that they intended
to seize the ship at midnight, putting in irons all who refused to join
them, and to kill us should any resistance be offered.

As soon as it was dark, we ran two of the guns called "murtherers"
through the ports of the after-castle opening on the main deck, which
should an enemy when boarding gain a footing there, are intended to rake
it.

We also loaded and placed in readiness arms for about a score of men,
who we hoped would side with us, while we also barricaded all the doors
which led to the after part of the ship.

When all was ready, Martin, going below, told the men he could trust to
muster aft.

One by one they crept up, so as not to attract the attention of the
rest. As they came up we put arms into their hands, and stationed them
under the after-castle. To our satisfaction we found that we had as
many as we had expected, who all swore to protect us with their lives
from the mutineers.

Before the expected moment all our arrangements had been made. The sea
was calm, a gentle breeze filled the sails, and the ship glided on,
leaving a long trail of bright light astern.

Midnight came, when the captain's voice was heard, summoning all hands
on deck to shorten sail. The crew, supposing that the ship was about to
be struck by one of those white squalls which sometimes come on with
fearful suddenness in the Mediterranean and lay over many a stout ship,
hurried up from below, and instinctively sprang aloft. The boatswain
having remained on deck, Dick and I, with two men we called to our