, unarmed as he was, was able to cope with them both, for
tripping up Mancillo he struck him on the chest so violently that he
fell against the man with the cutlass.

Then the mate took to his heels and ran aft, calling loudly for
assistance. The disturbance, so far, had scarcely lasted two minutes,
and those of the ship's company who were not on deck knew nothing of
what had happened.

Loftgreen, notwithstanding that he was wounded and bleeding in the right
arm, and half-dazed from a somewhat severe cut on the head, succeeded in
reaching his cabin, where he seized a pair of pistols, and still crying
loudly to his sleeping fellow-officers, prepared to defend himself to
the last. Unfortunately his pistols were not loaded, and in his hurry
and confusion he could not find his bullet bag.

Just then the Bengali steward, awakened by the noise, came running
up the companion way, and was met by one of the mutineers--the
helmsman--who struck him to the deck by a blow on the shoulder from a
cutlass.

Captain Hunter, awakened from his slumber by the stamping of feet and
the outcry, guessed what had happened. Quickly seizing his pistols, and
buckling on his sword (in those days merchant captains always possessed
swords, for they had use for them sometimes) he ran out of his cabin,
just as the mutineers reached the door. He discharged both pistols
together, but unfortunately was too excited to take aim, and neither
shot had any effect, but for a little while he kept the Chilians at bay
with his sword, until covered with wounds he staggered; in an instant
one of them darted in upon him, and a cutlass was thrust through his
heart.

Then the mutineers again turned their attention to the gallant mate, who
was unable to get out of his cabin, one of the attacking party having
turned the key from the outside. The cabin lamp had been knocked over
in the struggle, and the darkness made the murderers careful of their
movements, for they were afraid that Loftgreen might force his door and
burst out upon them, and after a hurried discussion they ran on deck.

Meanwhile Mr. Todd, the second mate, aroused by the cries and shots in
the main cabin, jumped out of his bunk, and trying to open his cabin
door, found it was fastened from the outside. Throwing himself against
it, he burst it open at the same moment as the wounded steward crawled
past upon his hands and knees. Unable to speak, the Bengali placed a
cutlass in the officer's hands, a