"Watch me to-night. When you see me rise from the
table after supper is over, I'll collar Rawlings, and you must tackle
the Greek. The steward will be behind him to help you, but you must
see that he doesn't get out his knife. He's as strong as a buffalo.
Don't hurt him if you can help it. I have leg-irons and handcuffs all
ready in my berth. We'll get all the help we want in a few
seconds--before either of them know what has happened. Warner will be
too drunk to offer any resistance, and our men and Mrs. Tracey's people
will tackle his niggers if they show fight. They are coming on board
to-night. Are you clear, Barradas?"

The Spaniard gave an affirmative gesture. "Quite clear, Mr. Barry.
Trust me to settle the Greek. But be careful of Rawlings, he always
carries a derringer and might put a bullet into you before you could
get your hands on him."

"Don't be afraid of that, Barradas. I'll get him by the throat so
suddenly that he'll have no chance to use it. The only thing I feel
anxious about is that Velo and Joe and our natives will be able to
dispose of Warner's niggers without much bloodshed, and----"

He ceased, for he saw the boatswain coming towards them, and then he
added in his natural voice, as he ran his eye up and down the fore
stay--

"Well, perhaps so, Mr. Barradas, but give me wire any day for standing
gear; it's better in every way to set up, and looks neater."

Then he went aft again, and sat on the skylight smoking his pipe, and
now and then looking shorewards through the fast-gathering darkness.
He had told Velo not to light the two signal fires until it was quite
dark.

Presently Rawlings, dressed as usual in a natty, spotless white duck
suit, and smoking a cigar, came up from below.

"It's dark, isn't it?" he said genially, as he took a few brisk turns
up and down the poop, and taking off his wide, soft hat of _fala_ leaf,
he let the cool night breeze play upon his head. And as he walked past
the light of the lantern hanging from the centre of the awning, just
over the skylight, and Barry noticed his clean-cut handsome features,
and calm, smiling face, he ground his teeth together, and thought of
the Nemesis that in so strange a way was so soon to overtake the
heartless little fiend.

"Well, Barry, my dear fellow," said the captain, "I suppose you are
just as glad as I am that the work is over at last. After all our
troubles we have had most excellent luck, have we not?"