his head, he sat down again.

"Well, this is a pretty go," he exclaimed. "Who commands this ship I
should like to know, and then I can settle whether I'll do duty or turn
in and go to sleep again?"

"Belay your jaw-tackle, master," growled out one of the pirates who had
advanced into the cabin. "You're mighty too free with your tongue, fine
fellow as you think yourself. A better man than you commands her, and
he'll soon show you whose master."

I must own I cared very little about Mr Hallton, but I felt the deepest
anxiety as to how Charley might be treated. I feared the pirates less
than I did the "Rover's" men, who had thus turned traitors to their King
and country, for they were too likely to add crime upon crime, and to
murder their officers. Had Mr Hallton and Charley been armed, we might
have made an effort to release them, but they had both been deprived of
their swords and I felt sure that Harry, Tubbs, and I would be
unsuccessful, and only make matters worse.

The seamen, having now bound the arms of the two officers behind them,
led them into an inner cabin, where, shutting the door, they locked and
bolted it.

"Now, you three, go on deck and help work the ship," said one of the
men, whom I recognised as the third officer of the "Vulture," but who
had slipped into sailor's clothes, probably to deceive his captors.

I could scarcely suppose that all this time Captain Roderick had any
hand in the mutiny, for, to the best of my belief, he had been shut up
in the cabin, and was still there. The mate teemed to be of the same
opinion, for he bade the sentry open the door. He did so, when Captain
Roderick was seen stretched on his couch. At the first glance I thought
he was dead, but he was only in a deep sleep, so deep that all the noise
outside had not aroused him. The mate shook him by the arm, but it had
no effect. I was thankful for this, for I dreaded that, should he awake
and find us in his power, he might commit some act of violence. Lest he
should be awakened, Harry, Tubbs, and I gladly made our escape on deck.
I prayed that no harm would be done to Charley, for I felt more anxious
about him than about myself. On reaching the deck, I looked out for the
frigate, I could just see her light away to windward, but it seemed to
me much further off than before. The gale had abated somewhat, but both
ships were still hove to. The mate speedily followed us up, and gave
orders to the men to bring