d he act his villainous part, that no one suspected him. He was a
tall, powerful, swarthy man, with a handsome but forbidding countenance.

One evening a little before sunset, while the captain was sitting at tea
with those who usually messed in the cabin, Griffin looked down the
skylight and reported "a sail on the weather bow." The captain
immediately rose and went on deck. The moment he appeared he was seized
by Griffin. Captain Blathers was an active and powerful man, and very
passionate. He clenched his fist and struck the second mate a blow on
the chest, which caused him to stagger back, but, before he could repeat
it, two sailors seized him from behind and held him fast. The noise of
the scuffle at once brought up the first mate, who was followed by Will
Osten, Captain Dall, and others, all of whom were seized by the crew and
secured as they successively made their appearance.

Resistance was of course offered by each, but in vain, for the thing was
promptly and thoroughly carried out. Four strong men stood at the head
of the companion with ropes ready to secure their prisoners, while the
greater part of the crew stood close by, armed with pistols and
cutlasses.

"It is of no use resisting, Captain Blathers," said Griffin, when the
former was pinioned; "you see we are quite prepared, and thoroughly in
earnest."

The captain looked round, and a glance sufficed to convince him that
this was true. Not a friendly eye met his, because those of the crew
who were suspected of being favourable to him, or who could not be
safely relied on, had been seized by another party of mutineers at the
same time that those in the cabin were captured, and among them were
three friends of our hero--Mr Cupples the mate, Muggins, and Larry
O'Hale, seamen belonging to the lost _Foam_ to which Captain Dall had
referred while conversing with Will.

For a few seconds Captain Blathers' face blazed with wrath, and he
seemed about to make a desperate attempt to break his bonds, but by a
strong effort he restrained himself.

"What do you intend to do?" he asked at length, in a deep, husky voice.

"To take possession of this ship," replied the second mate, with a
slightly sarcastic smile. "These men have taken a fancy to lead a free,
roving life, and to make me their captain, and I am inclined to fall in
with their fancy, and to relieve you of the command."

"Scoundrel!" exclaimed the captain, "say rather that you have misled th