reserved meat,
delicacies, or the like."

"Yes, but the water?" said the captain, naming the grave necessity of
life in that hot climate.

"I must frankly say a very short supply, sir."

There was another ominous silence, as all thought of our numbers.

Then Mr Frewen spoke--

"This all sounds very bad, Captain Berriman, but we are not going to
give in. The ammunition and provisions are on board the ship, and when
a besieged garrison runs short, it makes sallies to obtain fresh
supplies. But we have not arrived at that starvation point yet. Before
then the ship may be under the rule of Captain Berriman once again."

"Hist!" I cried, in an excited whisper, and I pointed up at the
sky-light, across which a shadow lay, cast by the newly-risen sun which
had flooded the cabin with gold.

"Listening, eh?" said Mr Brymer, and stepping softly on one side, he
took one of the guns, and, with a sudden motion, thrust it through.

There was a bound and the rush of feet as the shadow disappeared.

"A guilty conscience needs no accuser," said the mate, laughing, "a
criminal running away from an empty gun!"

"A lesson for us in being cautious in making our plans," observed Mr
Frewen. "Now, Captain Berriman, will you give us our orders?"

"My first idea is, gentlemen, that one of you stand on guard there by
the door, and, if the opportunity offers, he is to shoot down that
scoundrel Jarette. They're coming. Now, on guard."

For as he spoke there were voices heard approaching and the trampling of
feet. Directly after guns were seized, and the occupants of the cabin
stood ready, for the door was unfastened, and an effort made to thrust
it open.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

The result of that thrust was that the door was opened some little
distance, and then stopped by part of the pile of chests and other
luggage formed into a barricade.

There was a dead silence in the saloon as the deep voice of a man was
heard speaking in a subdued tone to those with him; and pointing to the
sky-light, Mr Frewen stepped back from the defenders of the barricade
so as to be ready in case an effort should be made to assail them there.

Then the door was rattled loudly, and Jarette's voice was heard speaking
angrily to some one without.

Again there was silence for a few moments, and then Jarette cried, "Now
then; do you hear?"

This was followed by a sharp rap on the door, and a voice cried--

"You in the cabin--Captain Jarette s