's deck. He said something to this man, and then they both
staggered away forward and I lost sight of them in the deep shadows that
enshrouded the fore-part of the ship. They were gone about ten minutes;
and then they re-appeared, the boatswain armed with a large auger. As
they passed the main-hatchway, on their way aft, Jose seized one of the
still lighted lanterns that were standing on the deck, and seemed to
direct his companion to take another. This the man did, and continuing
their way aft, the pair entered the saloon from the main-deck; and
presently, peering cautiously down through the open skylight, I saw that
the two ruffians were groping about under the cabin table, no doubt
searching for the lazarette hatch. Their search was of course in vain;
and at length I overheard the boatswain assert with an oath that it was
useless to search for it any longer, they must get the steward out of
his pantry, and make him show them where it was. They then left the
saloon, and there was silence for a few minutes; then, going to the head
of the companion-ladder, I heard Jose demanding in broken English, with
a profusion of expletives, where was the opening of the lazarette. A
strange voice replied in trembling tones; and then I heard the mat flung
back and the hatch wrenched off with a clatter. A few more oaths
followed, there was a scrambling sound, and I concluded that the two
miscreants had descended to the performance of their dastardly task.

Then ensued what seemed like a very long--although it was actually a
comparatively short--period of anxious suspense, for completely
successful as we had been thus far, our absence from the brigantine
might easily be discovered at any moment; and in that case there was no
alternative for us between fighting to the death and ignominious
surrender. I was more anxious on my own behalf than on that of the
others, for their absence was scarcely likely to be noted by their
drunken comrades until the next morning, while, as for me, should
Mendouca take it into his head to require my presence, it would no
sooner be reported to him that I was not to be found than he would have
a very shrewd suspicion of what had happened; and I felt convinced that,
with my knowledge of the enormities that he had perpetrated on that
dreadful day, he would never willingly suffer me to escape from him
alive. Then there was Pedro, too. The lad had, for some inscrutable
reason, taken a violent fancy for