you, my lads," replied the captain. "They've sailed with us
before. But even if they don't fight against us, they can't fight with
us as things stand now. The very least that Ditty will do with them is
to hold them prisoners until he's put the job through."

"But he isn't going to put it through," cried Drew, his eyes kindling.

"Not by a jug full!" declared Tyke. "But we'll know we've been in a
fight, I s'pose, before we can prove that to him. He's put his head in
the noose now, an' he'll be desperate."

"I only hope I get a chance at him before the hangman does," muttered
Drew.

"There's not much to be done until those fellows come over here," said
the captain reflectively. "We've no way of getting out there to the
schooner. This thing will have to be fought out on land."

"Do you suppose they'll attack us right away, or try to starve us out?"
Drew asked. "They've got the advantage in having provisions."

"No chance of starving us," replied Captain Hamilton. "There's plenty
of fruit here, and then there are birds and small game. I saw an
agouti run by a little while ago."

"Oh! Why, that's a rat, Daddy! Or is it a sort of 'possum?" cried
Ruth, with a shudder. "And you men were hinting the other day that
poor Wah Lee might serve us up some dainty dish like that!" she added
with a chuckle.

"By George!" Tyke suddenly shouted. "There's cookee an' the steward!
We forgot them in our calculations. How about 'em, Cap'n Rufe?"

"Oh, that's so!" cried Ruth. "That little Jap boy never would turn
against us, surely!"

"Nor Wah Lee," said Captain Hamilton reflectively.

"Neither of 'em would be much good," remarked Tyke. "You know how them
critters are--both Chinks and Japs. Cold-blooded as fish. They'll
keep on cooking for the mutineers an' serving 'em. It's none of their
pidgin whether that rascal, Ditty, bosses 'em or you are at the helm,
Cap'n Rufe."

"Well, I expect you're right," agreed Captain Hamilton. "They're poor
fish to fry. We can't count on them to supply us with grub, that's
sure," and he laughed shortly.

"An' look here!" exclaimed Tyke, coming back to their former
discussion. "How about water? We might git along on this sulphur
water for a little while, but we couldn't stand it long."

"That's a little more serious," admitted the captain. "But we can get
milk from the cocoanuts. There's plenty of them. And there's the
chance of rain, too.

"But I don't think it will