with her face buried in her hands, and then ran on deck ready to help
repel the attack.

For there were the two boats close into the port-gangway, and the men in
them frantically gesticulating and waving their hands.

"Don't--don't fire," one of the men yelled. "We give in."

"Yes, yes; give in," came in a wild chorus.

"The beggars surrender, sir," cried Bob Hampton, who was on his knees
re-charging the cannon. "But get that there poker ready again, Neb.
We'll hit 'em next time if they don't."

"Ahoy!" cried Mr Brymer, through a speaking-trumpet. "One boat come
forward; but if there is any treachery, we'll show no mercy to any one
there."

"Treachery?" shouted a man pitifully, as the first boat was slowly rowed
in. "We're all spent, sir. There arn't a drop o' water. Give us all a
drink first, and then shoot us if you like."

"Where's Jarette?"

"Here, in the bottom, sir, tied neck and heels. He went stark mad last
night, and bit and fought till we had to tie him down under the
thwarts."

"Water--water!--for heaven's sake, water!" came in a piteous chorus, as
the second boat rowed slowly in.

"Is it real or a trick?" said Mr Brymer, in a whisper.

"Real enough," said Mr Frewen. "The men are suffering horribly, and--
oh! look! There's no subterfuge there,--that man--Jarette. He is
dead!"

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

It was plain enough: the man had died there where his companions had
tied him fast, and that night the two boats lay astern carefully watched
after all the arms had been handed on board.

Not that there was anything to fear. For at daybreak, after two bodies
had been committed to the deep, the spokesman of the mutinous crew told
a pitiful tale, of how they would gladly have given up but for their
leader, who by force and violence kept them to their task till, in utter
despair, they had turned upon him and bound him, as they would some
dangerous wild beast that they dared not kill.

That day, half the poor worn-out wretches were again confined in the
forecastle, while the others were, under careful surveillance, allowed
to return to their work.

For the calms were over, and a hard fight began with the weather, which
grew so bad at last that Mr Brymer, who, as the days passed on, seemed
to recover the more rapidly for having plenty to do, was glad to have
all the men back to their duty.

This, in the hope of some mitigation of their punishment, they did well,
working away, so t