oked.

"But he may not be dead, not even injured," urged Martin. "I only
heard Sails cry out. Perhaps Billy wasn't around when they slipped
aboard. You know his failing, bosun, and you know how he has been the
last few days. The reason I have the keys, you know, is because he
didn't want to be tempted by the medicine-chest. Maybe he gave in, and
got some alcohol, forward, and got drunk and went to sleep."

The boatswain snorted indignantly.

"You don't know Billy like I do!" he cried. "Drunk, no! Billy 'ad 'is
failing, but 'e'd sooner 'a' died than give in at such a time.
No--'e's gone. Ye say old Sails told ye Billy was feyed! Ow, that
proves it. That ---- burgoo-eater was always right in such things!
Billy, dear Billy--'e was a proper mate, Martin."

The boatswain's mood changed abruptly, and rage possessed him. Martin
felt the man's great body tremble with the intensity of his passion.
He spoke through his clenched teeth, slowly and strangely, without
using his accustomed expletives.

"They killed 'im! They'll pay. We're goin' to get out o' 'ere,
Martin--I know 'ow, now. We're going to try an' take the ship back.
Aye--maybe they'll get us, but I'll twist the necks o' some o' them
first. And I'll get Carew, 'imself!"

He spoke the words with a cool positiveness that bred belief. Martin,
in almost as vengeful a mood as the other, was grimly cheered by the
pictured prospect.

"I'll tell you what I know about it," went on the boatswain in a
somewhat lighter voice. "They got me in my bunk. 'Ad the irons on me
before I was awake--ye know 'ow I sleep, like a ruddy corpse. Ichi
steered 'em. The blighter knows the ship, knew where the irons 'ung in
the cabin, knew 'ow the rooms are laid out. When I woke up I was
'elpless, and 'alf dozen o' them picked me up and packed me into the
cabin and threw me down be'ind the table. That's where I lay when you
busted in. They 'ad gagged me with my own socks.

"They must 'ave been on board before Sails came aft, and as soon as the
two of ye went for'rd, they slipped into the alleyway be'ind ye. I was
already dumped on the cabin floor when the rumpus broke out on deck--at
the same instant Carew appeared. At the noise, the Old Man jumped out
of 'is room, gun in 'and, and 'e shot at Carew's voice. Carew grabbed
the gun, and banged 'im over the eye with it, and the Old Man went down
across 'is doorway. Then Ruth popped out o' 'er room, and Carew
grabbed 'e