fireroom; but whatever it is he won't keep his word. It's
death for every man Jack of 'em when he has finished with 'em."

Long Jim was plying the needle again, and Buckrow and Thirkle were
holding a conference at the wheel and studying a chart. I could see the
red head of Petrak nodding to them as they submitted some point to him;
but he kept his eyes ahead of the steamer, evidently steering for some
point of land. Thirkle finally folded up the chart and tucked it in
his pocket; and Buckrow took his post again at the port end of the bridge
and studied the western horizon.

I saw a Chinese in blue nankeen come out of the starboard passage below
the bridge and cautiously look up at the bridge. He did not see Long Jim,
so intent was he on looking up; but when the cockney drew a pistol he
screamed shrilly and fled into the passage, his long queue sticking out
behind like an attenuated pennant, so swift was his flight.

Thirkle and Buckrow came down to the fore-deck and gathered the sacks
which Long Jim had fashioned. Before they went down the 'tween-decks
companion Thirkle looked forward toward the forecastle and hesitated a
minute, as if he were in doubt about our being secure enough. But he went
down after the others, and we heard hammering behind the bulkhead again.

Petrak remained at the wheel, a jaunty figure with a white canvas cap on
his flaming head and one of Captain Riggs's best Manila cigars between
his teeth. He managed the wheel with one hand, holding a pistol ready
with the other, and looking the ship over from time to time.

"They are steering to pass in behind the island," said Riggs, as I went
below. "It is about four miles ahead now, and they are at half steam
again, because the reefs are bad in here--coral-banks and ledges running
out from the mainland. When they get her in the lee of the island they'll
make a quick job of her, and us, too."

"If I don't make a quick job of them with the pistol," I said.

"You keep three bullets--you'll need them when the green water is
spilling in here," and he gave me a significant look.

Despair was upon him again, but I could not bring myself to feel that
death awaited us. Weak and hungry and thirsty, life was still strong, and
the desire to live, if only to have vengeance on Thirkle and his men,
kept up my courage.

"There is some way out--some way we can get the upper hand. When the
water comes in I'll be ready to give up, but not until then."

He smiled