ore a murmur of assent came which
told only too plainly that the thirst for gold had swept every feeling
of duty or allegiance aside.

"And I've been playing the mean treacherous part of an eavesdropper,"
thought Brace, as he drew back softly and returned to the side of the
smouldering fire, and after carefully judging the distance he made out
where Briscoe was lying, and, proceeding cautiously to his side, knelt
down and laid a hand upon his companion's lips.

There was a violent start, and then the American lay perfectly still,
and a husky whisper arose from his lips:

"What is it?"

Brace placed his lips to Briscoe's ear and said:

"You've done it now."

"Eh? Done what?"

Brace acquainted him with all that had passed, and ended with a word or
two about listening and eavesdropping.

"Listening--eavesdropping?" said Briscoe. "You did not go to listen.
It was forced upon you. Why, Brace, man, it means mutiny."

"And all through your miserable craze for gold," said Brace angrily.

"Come, I like that!" replied the American. "Haven't I kept it all a
secret between us two? Who was it began about the gold this evening,
and made all the men prick up their ears?"

Brace was silent for a few moments.

"Yes," he said, at length; "but you jumped at the chance, and began to
wash."

"I should have been a queer sort of fellow if I had not, sir. The fruit
was popped into my mouth by the skipper, and of course, as it was so
much to my taste, I ate it. Well, it's no use to begin shouting before
we're hurt. There's one good thing over tonight's work: we've had
warning, and know what to do."

"That's just what we don't know," said Brace sharply.

"Oh, yes, we do. Let's see: there's Sir Humphrey, the skipper, the two
mates, and our two selves--that makes six."

"And the men are a dozen--two to one," said Brace.

"Unarmed, and in the wrong," said Briscoe; "we're armed, and in the
right."

"Then you would force the men to go on--you'd fight?"

"Of course--if necessary. I'd force the men to do their duty."

"And their duty is to obey orders," said Brace quickly.

"Of course."

"Then we ought to wake and warn the others before the men come back to
camp."

"To be sure, and hear what your brother and the skipper say. I'll take
a look round first to make sure there's no one within hearing, for it
will be another point in our favour to give the scamps a surprise by
being ready for them."

"It's all righ