you faster than you would have been under Captain Berriman."

"But where are we going? What do you mean to do with the ship?"

"What's that to you? There, I offer you your chance; will you join us?"

"I would if I was you, Mr Dale, sir," said a familiar voice, and
turning my head with difficulty, there was Bob Hampton looking quite
frank and honest, and as if there was not such a thing as a mutineer on
the face of the earth.

"Why? What for?" I cried, with a catching of the breath which made me
raise my hand to my breast.

"'Cause we're all so jolly together now, sir. You'll like it same as me
and my mates do. Jyne us, sir."

"All right," I said, "if--"

"If what?" said Jarette, sharply.

"If you rouse up the doctor and make him tend to me, for I'm afraid I've
got some broken ribs."

"Good! We will," cried Jarette, but to my astonishment Walters suddenly
roared out--

"No; don't trust him. He is a traitor, and he would only play the spy."

With a good deal of effort I raised myself upon one arm and looked him
full in the face, for the pain I suffered and his words roused up in me
a furious burst of temper.

"Traitor! sham!" I cried. "You ought to be hung for turning against
your captain as you did."

"Don't trust him, Jarette; he'd only betray us."

"If ever I get a chance, I will, if it's only for the sake of seeing you
get your deserts, you miserable hound!" I cried. "No, I'm not fit to
be trusted, Jarette," I cried, now quite beside myself with rage and
pain; "and don't let that miserable cur come near me, or I shall try to
do him some mischief."

"Do you hear, lieutenant?" said Jarette, with a sneering laugh. "Why
don't you go and serve him out for threatening you? He's about helpless
if his ribs are broken, and couldn't hurt you back."

"I'm not going to meddle with the miserable, sneaking cur," he said
contemptuously. "And you needn't banter me; I've saved you from being
cheated by him."

"Oh, I don't know," said Jarette, gazing at Walters through his
half-closed lids; "I dare say it was all talk, for he wouldn't have
dared to play tricks. But I say, lieutenant, he has got a stouter heart
than you have. He'd be too much for you."

Walters gave him a malicious look, full of angry spite, and as Jarette
saw it, there was a complete change in the man. His eyes flashed, his
form seemed to dilate, and he looked taller, while I now realised how it
was that he had gained so much as