ed
to look the missing one up.

"Let us follow him to the hatch," whispered Larry. "Perhaps we can make
him a prisoner."

"Right you are," answered Tom Grandon.

With caution they came up behind the man, and just as Groot leaned over
the open hatchway, they caught him tightly.

"Keep silent, Groot!" said Grandon. "Keep silent, or we'll throw you
overboard."

"Stop!" roared the mutineer. "Help! hel----"

He got no further, for raising his belaying pin, Vincent brought it down
on the mutineer's head. Groot had been the one to lame the boatswain's
back and the latter had not forgotten it. Over went the fellow and sank
down as if dead.

"Drop him into the hold," ordered Grandon, and this was done just as
Captain Ponsberry and Luke Striker appeared at the foot of the rope
ladder.

"Another, eh?" said the master of the _Columbia_. "Good enough! How are
you, Tom? How are you, Vincent?"

"We're ready to fight 'em," answered the first mate. "Come on! They've
got so much liquor aboard they can't do much to us!"

"Be careful, I don't want anybody shot if it can be avoided," responded
Captain Ponsberry.

"I think it would be a good plan to dump them all into the hold," said
Larry. "Then we could nail up that pantry door, put the hatch into
place, and keep them at our mercy."

"If the plan will work, it's a good one," answered the captain.

One after another they came out on deck, leaving Wilbur and Groot in the
hold. They found the mutineers equally divided between the galley and
the forecastle. The only man in charge of the schooner was Conroy, who
was at the wheel.

As they advanced upon the forecastle they saw Semmel come out,
accompanied by Peterson.

"There are the ringleaders!" cried Captain Ponsberry, and rushing up to
them he exclaimed: "Surrender, you rascals!" And he aimed his pistol,
while the others also raised their weapons.

The Russian and his companion were taken completely by surprise, and
before they could draw any weapons of their own it was too late. Grandon
tripped one up and fell upon him, and then Vincent and Larry tripped up
the other. There was a brief scuffle, the exchange of several blows
which did little damage, and in a trice Semmel and Peterson were thrown
down into the hold bodily, and the ladder was hauled up out of their
reach.

"Put that hatch over the opening," cried Captain Ponsberry to Larry.
"And then go into the cabin pantry and nail up that door. Be quick about
it, or