hole. There are ten of our fellows in the hold.
If only they were armed! I am afraid to try my scheme just yet; it
might upset their plans, it might spoil everything. Her note is
explicit, 'The noon meal.'"

"Your plan? We can help?" exclaimed Little Billy.

Martin inclined his head towards the bound form of their captive, lying
beyond earshot. "Decoy," he said.

Understanding lighted the hunchback's face. "I see. Draw them
off--some of them. Just before eight bells. Oh, I am dopey, not to
have thought of that. But I can't think straight. Nerves snapping.
I've worried a lot since last night. You know how it is--I didn't know
what had happened, and Ruth---"

Yes, Martin knew how it was. He smiled his understanding and sympathy,
and leaned over and patted Billy's shoulder. Yes, he knew. His own
nerves were snapping, when he thought of Ruth. He knew that his, and
Wild Bob's, were not the only hearts enslaved by the maid of the
_Cohasset_. And he, the accepted lover, could regard without disquiet
the light that shone in Billy's eyes whenever the latter spoke of Ruth.

"I know how it is between you two," continued Little Billy. "And
you--I think you know how it is with me. I--why, I'd die for her
gladly. Oh, Martin, in my mind I think I died a thousand times last
night."

"What happened to you last night?" inquired Martin. "How did you
escape them, and get ashore?"

"I suppose they murdered Rimoa and Oomak while Sails was in the cabin,
calling you. Poor Sails--so it was his concern for me that caused him
to awaken you. He thought feydom had me."

"But he was wrong," said Martin, quickly.

"I don't know; I have had a feeling--oh, well, no matter," rejoined
Little Billy. "I guess they would have finished me, as well as the
others, had I been on board."

"Had you been on board?" echoed Martin.

"I was already on my way to the beach when they boarded. Passed them
on the way. It was just an accident, a simple mishap," explained the
other. "It happened just after I roused MacLean from his snooze in the
galley. You recall how dark it was last night. I felt my way aft, and
paused by the capstan, where you found my tobacco pouch. I placed it
there preparatory to filling my pipe. My pipe wasn't in my pocket, and
I remembered that it was lying on the thwart of the dingey, where I
left when I came on board after sounding to anchor in the afternoon.

"Well, you may remember what state I was i