choose a revolver and a cutlas."

I would have gone with him myself, but at that moment a voice had hailed
the captain. Stepping from the saloon I saw Bothwell with a white
handkerchief at the head of the stairway leading from the main deck.

"Envoy to former Captain Blythe from the crew," I heard him say.

Crisp and clear sang the answer of our captain.

"My man, I don't know you. If my crew have anything to say let them send
one of their own number. I don't deal with stowaways scalawags."

"You'll deal with me if you deal with them. I've been elected captain in
place of Mr. Blythe, deposed."

"The devil you have! Bite on this, my man. I own this boat, every stick
and ribbon of her. I'm going to be master here. If the men want to talk
I'll name conditions. Let them bring you and Caine up here in irons and
put their arms down on the deck. That will be a preliminary to any talk
between me and them."

"You speak large, Mr. Blythe."

"_Captain_ Blythe, my man, and don't you forget it! Now tramp. Get back
to your ruffians or I'll put a bullet through you."

"Would you fire on a flag of truce?"

"I recognize no flag of truce in your hands. Look lively."

"I've only got to say that I'll take pleasure in settling your hash for
this," Bothwell cried angrily.

"I'm not Mr. Mott. You'll not find it so easy to murder me. Move!"

Bothwell disappeared with a curse. I retired into the saloon.

Evelyn was standing near the door with a face in which I could read both
anxiety and anger.

"Why do you expose yourself like that?" she cried.

"I wanted to see what was going on."

"You'll be shot. Then what shall we do?"

"There's not much danger yet, and I must keep in touch with our friends
forward. Don't you think we had better get your patient to bed?"

"I'm all right, sir," Dugan spoke up faintly.

"He ought to be kept quiet for a day or two," his young nurse decided.

"I'll take him down to my cabin. Perhaps you can get him something to
put him to sleep, Miss Wallace."

Miss Berry came up the stairs just as we were starting down. She looked
like a ghost.

"Mr. Sedgwick, I've just been wakened from a nap. I heard some one
groaning in the cabin next to mine." She caught sight of Dugan's
bandaged head and cried out: "What's the matter? Has something
happened?"

"Don't be frightened, Miss Berry."

"What are these men doing with pistols? Where does that blood come
from?"

Evelyn came forward and took her au