the cabin-window which commands the boat's painter, and shoot
down whoever tries to cut it."

Gregory nodded, took a gun and some cartridges, and walked to one of the
cabin-windows, then to another, and changed again.

He had hardly reached the last and looked out when there was a shot, a
yell, and a second shot.

The captain rushed to his officer's side.

"What is it?" he cried.

"Only just in time," said the mate, coolly reloading. "One of the
scoundrels had swum round, was in the boat, and cutting her away."

"Did you--"

The captain paused and looked inquiringly in the mate's eyes.

"We're fighting for our lives and the lives of these ladies, Captain
Strong," said Gregory. "Suppose we do our duty and ask no questions
afterwards. The Malay did not cut the painter."

Captain Strong nodded and returned to where the men stood by the
barricaded door, to answer the major's inquiring look with a few words
as to matters being all right, and then they waited, with the ladies
pale and anxious, in one of the cabins, and Mark standing ready to
supply ammunition when it should be required.

They had not long to wait for an attack. The discovery that the man who
had tried to get the boat had been shot was met with a loud burst of
angry yells, and this was followed by a fresh attempt, as was shown to
the defenders of the door by another shot from the mate.

There was another burst of yelling, and at intervals three more shots
were fired by Mr Gregory.

"Why, he's getting all the fun, Strong!" said the major. "They might
come this way; but the mischief is that we've left no holes to fire
from. Never mind; if we had they would have been able to see in."

Mark about this time walked to where Mr Gregory was leaning against the
bulkhead with the muzzle of his gun bearing upon the spot a man must
reach to cut the painter.

"Want any more cartridges, Mr Gregory?" said Mark.

For answer the mate bent down, glanced along the barrel of his gun and
fired.

Mark darted forward and caught sight of a hideously-distorted face and a
pair of raised hands before they disappeared beneath the surface, and
just at that moment he darted back, barely in time to avoid a spear
which stuck quivering in the woodwork round the window.

"Not a very safe place. Squire Mark," said the mate, reloading without
taking his eyes from the boat, and firing again as a dark head literally
flashed into sight, one of the Malays having dived an