wheel, the which 'll soon be on. Ay!
theer's the bells now! I must aft. When I come off, Bill, you be up by
the night-heads, an' have that Dutch chap as is in our watch 'long wi'
ye; an' also the Dane. They're the likeliest to go in wi' us at oncet,
an' we'll first broach it to them."

"All right, old pal; I'll be there."

The two plotters step out from under the awning; Striker turning aft to
take his "trick" at the wheel, the other sauntering off in the direction
of the forecastle.

CHAPTER FIFTY.

AN APPALLING PROSPECT.

Harry Blew stands aghast--his hair on end, the blood coursing chill
through his veins.

No wonder, after listening to such revelations! A plot diabolical--a
scheme of atrocity unparalleled--comprising three horrible crimes:
robbery, the abduction of women, and the murder of men; and among the
last, himself.

Now knows he the cause of the crew's insubordination; too clearly
comprehends it. Three hundred thousand dollars of gold-dust stowed in
the cabin-lockers!

News to him; for Captain Lantanas had not made him acquainted with the
fact--the treasure having been shipped before his coming aboard.
Indeed, on that same night when he went after Silvestre; for at the very
time he was knocking at the ship-agent's office-door, Don Tomas, with a
trusty waterman, was engaged in putting it aboard the Chilian ship.

An unfortunate arrangement, after all. And now too certain of ending
disastrously, not only for Don Gregorio, but those dear to him, with
others less interested, yet linked to his fate.

Though the ex-man-o'-war's man is neither doubtful nor incredulous of
what he has just heard, it is some time before his mind can grasp all
the details. So filled is he with astonishment, it is natural his
thoughts should be confused, and himself excited.

But soon he reflects calmly; and revolving everything over, perceives
clearly enough what are the crimes to be committed, with the motives for
committing them. There can be no ambiguity about the nature of the
nefarious conspiracy. It has all been hatched, and pre-arranged, on
shore; and the scoundrels have come aboard specially for its execution.
The four Spaniards--or Californians, as he believes them to be--must
have had knowledge of the treasure being shipped, and, in their plan to
appropriate it, have engaged the others to assist them. Striker's talk
has told this; while revealing also the still more fiendish designs of
abduction