tenant. It
passed Benson's right side by a margin of barely two inches.

"Pass me another revolver," whispered Benson, in the stillness that
followed.

All through the day and evening these seamen, though outwardly
respectful, and wholly well disciplined, had cherished a great deal of
amusement over their boyish officers.

Now, however, these bronzed men of the deep beheld Benson and Somers at
work in a manner worthy of any product of Annapolis.

The second revolver was handed to Jack.

"I want to be in this, too," muttered Ensign Eph, and held back his hand
for weapons.

"Are you going to surrender, Gray, and open that door?" demanded
Lieutenant Jack.

"Never--to you," came the ugly defiance.

Bang! Again Gray fired, straight in the direction of the voice the
bullet, crashing through a panel of the door, fanned Jack's left ear so
that he felt the breeze.

"Open up on him, Mr. Somers," directed Benson. "Slowly. Fire high, and
fire low. Try to get him somehow."

Two more shots came from the other side of the locked door.

Then pop-pop-pop! began the fusilade from outside, Jack and Eph firing
with either hand as they sighted their weapons for new spots.

R-r-rip! crash! A long enough bombardment of this sort was certain to
reduce the panels to splinters and leave the way clear--if they didn't
riddle Gray with bullets in the meantime.

Pop-pop-pop! The air was becoming heavy with the white fog of smoke.
Breathing was somewhat difficult, with so many shots being fired in
the confined space.

Then both young officers stopped, passing back one revolver apiece to
be reloaded.

Bang! came a defiant shot from inside the stateroom. The bullet
struck the cabin floor just behind Jack, having passed between his feet.

The sailors, back where they were comparatively safe from harm, looked
on in admiration at these two grit-full young American officers.

Pop-pop-pop! began the fusilade by Jack and Eph again.

"Ouch!" came a sudden yell from the stateroom.

"Hit you, did we?" called Jack, calmly. "Well, we're going to riddle
you unless you stop that nonsense."

The answer was another shot from inside the stateroom. The bullet
clipped off a stray lock of hair at the left side of Eph Somers's head.

Both young officers fired slowly, searchingly, until their weapons were
emptied. Then they passed the hot smoking revolvers back for new
loads.

From the other side of the stateroom door came no soun