"Yes, sirrah! it is very well for me, as long as God is with me: but He
is with every man in this ship, I would have you to know, as much as
He is with me. Do you fancy that I have nothing to lose? I who have
adventured in this voyage all I am worth, and more; who, if I fail, must
return to beggary and scorn? And if I have ventured rashly, sinfully,
if you will, the lives of any of you in my own private quarrel, am I not
punished? Have I not lost--?"

His voice trembled and stopped there, but he recovered himself in a
moment.

"Pish! I can't stand here chattering. Carpenter! an axe! and help me to
cast these spars loose. Get out of my way, there! lumbering the scuppers
up like so many moulting fowls! Here, all old friends, lend a hand!
Pelican's men, stand by your captain! Did we sail round the world for
nothing?"

This last appeal struck home, and up leaped half-a-dozen of the old
Pelicans, and set to work at his side manfully to rig the jury-mast.

"Come along!" cried Cary to the malcontents; "we're raw longshore
fellows, but we won't be outdone by any old sea-dog of them all." And
setting to work himself, he was soon followed by one and another, till
order and work went on well enough.

"And where are we going, when the mast's up?" shouted some saucy hand
from behind.

"Where you daren't follow us alone by yourself, so you had better keep
us company," replied Yeo.

"I'll tell you where we are going, lads," said Amyas, rising from his
work. "Like it or leave it as you will, I have no secrets from my crew.
We are going inshore there to find a harbor, and careen the ship."

There was a start and a murmur.

"Inshore? Into the Spaniards' mouths?"

"All in the Inquisition in a week's time."

"Better stay here, and be drowned."

"You're right in that last," shouts Cary. "That's the right death for
blind puppies. Look you! I don't know in the least where we are, and I
hardly know stem from stern aboard ship; and the captain may be right or
wrong--that's nothing to me; but this I know, that I am a soldier, and
will obey orders; and where he goes, I go; and whosoever hinders me must
walk up my sword to do it."

Amyas pressed Cary's hand, and then--

"And here's my broadside next, men. I'll go nowhere, and do nothing
without the advice of Salvation Yeo and Robert Drew; and if any man in
the ship knows better than these two, let him up, and we'll give him a
hearing. Eh, Pelicans?"

There was a grunt of app