said Christian, who stood hard
by with a stick, ready to expedite the process of ejection when a cat
ventured to show itself.

At last, with infinite trouble the whole body of the enemy were routed
from the hold, and the hatches fastened down to prevent a return. But
the end was not yet gained, for the creatures had found various refuges
on deck, and some had taken to the rigging.

"Come out o' that," cried Martin, making a poke at the big grey cat,
like a small tiger, which had fled to the foretop.

With a ferocious caterwaul and fuff the creature sprang down the shrouds
on the opposite side as if it had been born and bred a sailor.
Unfortunately it made a wild leap at a pendant rope in passing, missed
it, and came down on the deck with a prodigious flop. Only one of its
nine lives, apparently, was damaged. With the other eight it rushed to
the opening in the bow, and soon gained the shore, where it immediately
sprang to the leafy head of a cocoa-nut palm. At the same moment a
black-and-white cat was sent flying in the same direction by Young.
Quintal, indulging his savage nature, caught one of the cats by the neck
and tried to strangle it into subjection, but received such punishment
with teeth and claws that he was fain to fling it into the sea. It swam
ashore, emerged a melancholy "drookit" spectacle, and dashed into the
nearest underwood.

Thus, one by one, the cats were hunted out of the _Bounty_, and
introduced to their future home. The last to give in was,
appropriately, an enormous black Tom, which, with deadly yellow eyes,
erect hair, bristling tail, curved back, extended claws, and flattened
ears, rushed fuffing and squealing from one refuge to another, until at
last, giving way to the concentrated attack of the assembled crew, it
burst through the opening, scurried down the gangway, and went like a
shot into the bushes, a confirmed maniac,--if not worse.

CHAPTER SIX.

SETTLING DOWN AND EXPLORATION.

The first few days were devoted by the mutineers to conveying ashore
every article that was likely to prove useful. Not only were chests,
boxes, tools, bedding, culinary implements, etcetera, removed from the
vessel, but the planks that formed the bulkheads, much of the cordage,
and all the loose spars and removable iron-work were carried ashore. In
short, the vessel was completely gutted.

When this was finished, a council was called to decide what should be
done with the _Bounty_ herself