t under the cuddy floor, towards the bulkhead that
divided this portion of the ship from the main hold.

Arrived here, Snowball soon recognised the advantage of having Mr Adams
along with him; for, in addition to the fact that the second mate, as is
usual in merchant vessels, knew where each and every article of the
cargo was stowed, he also was acquainted with the circumstance of there
being a sliding door in the bulkhead, which the darkey was unaware of
and had thought they would have to break it down, which would have been
a rather long job.

Consequently, in far less time than either he or Kate had imagined, the
imprisoned crew, who had been long aroused by the trampling on deck and
the noise of the struggle immediately over their heads, and had been
knocking madly at the hatchway cover and trying vainly to lift it up,
were released. Eager for the fray, from which they had so long been
debarred from taking part, they rushed up through the cuddy and up the
companion to the poop, prepared to take summary vengeance on those who
had incarcerated them but with what result has been already described.

While Kate was giving this explanation to her father of the course of
events below and how the affair was planned--Frank Harness listening to
her the while with glistening eyes, and squeezing her hand furtively as
he pressed to her side--it was amusing to watch the demeanour of the
darkey cook.

His mouth was spread open from ear to ear in one huge grin at the
recital of his well-planned scheme for the defeat of the mutineers'
machinations and release of the imprisoned crew. His chest expanded,
too, with pride at the praise bestowed on him for his pluck and
perspicacity; and when, finally, Ben Boltrope, who, of course, with Karl
Ericksen, had remained loyal and been locked down below with the rest of
the starboard watch, proposed "three cheers for Snowball," the cook
could contain himself no longer, but burst into a loud guffaw, thus
taking a prominent part in the demonstration in his own honour.

In the meantime nobody had been idle.

Poor Captain Dinks had been carefully lifted into the saloon, where, on
removing his clothes, it was discovered that Moody's stab, although
inflicting a dangerous cut across the chest, had touched no vital part,
the sufferer's exhaustion proceeding more from loss of blood than from
any imminent risk. He was therefore placed in his own cot and the wound
strapped up, after which he sank