r, "be ready to come well-armed when I give the
signal--two whistles, mind. I shall call upon you the moment I fancy it
can be done. Hist!--the men."

For the two sailors whom we had made prisoners through their being at
the wheel had been apportioned the duty of taking the steward's place,
that poor fellow having without doubt gone overboard on the night of the
rising; and as Mr Brymer left the cabin, these two quickly and roughly
prepared the table for our mid-day meal, went forward, and brought back
a tureen of soup, with a kind of ragout of the kangaroo's tail from the
tin.

The dinner was just ready, when there was a noise from forward; and we
hurried to the door-way, but it was only to hear a roaring chorus rise
from the forecastle-hatchway.

"They have begun at the spirits," said Mr Frewen. And then telling the
two sailors to ask Mr Brymer to come and join us, the men went forward,
spoke to the mate, and he came to the saloon entrance.

"Better come and join us, Brymer," said Mr Frewen. "You want food: and
we can tell by the cessation of the noise they are making when the time
for action has come."

"Oh, I can't eat, man, at a time like this!" said the mate, excitedly.

"You must, to keep up your strength. Will Miss Denning join us?"

This to Mr Denning, who shook his head.

"No; let her stay in her cabin. She would only be in our way. I will
take her in some dinner."

"You had better keep up appearances, so that the men may not notice
anything. Mr Preddle, help the soup."

I shuddered, and every one turned pale.

"Oh, there is no risk," said the mate quickly. "But here, make the
plates and spoons look as if they had been used, and then throw all the
soup out of the stern-window."

I brightened a little at hearing this, for the possibility of the cook
having made a mistake was always before my eyes. So after satisfying
ourselves that the men were not likely to return yet, I was one of the
busiest in dirtying the plates and spoons, and ended by emptying the
soup from the window with a feeling of the most intense relief.

"Will it send the fishes to sleep, Mr Frewen?" I whispered, as I
placed the empty tureen back in its place.

"Bad for them if it does," he said, with an attempt at looking merry.
"For their enemies are safe to swallow them while they are napping."

"With both eyes open," said Mr Preddle.

The departure of the soup acted like a charm on all; and after Mr
Brymer had be