me measure as a guide to me. I
had just belayed the halyards when Anthea came to me with the keys.

She glanced from me to the flag and back again, questioningly, and I
explained.

"I see," she said. "Very well; here are the keys, but I do hope it will
not be necessary to fight. I remember the Malacca Straits affair, when
we had the entire crew to help us in defending the ship. Do you think
that, situated as we now are, we should have any chance?"

"I don't see why not," I replied. "Although we are a wreck we can still
show a rather formidable set of teeth,"--waving my hand toward the
main-deck guns--"to say nothing of the two Maxims, upon which I shall
principally pin my faith. The only thing that we must guard against is
letting the rascals get too close before plainly declaring their
intentions. But that should not be difficult."

"Supposing they are enemies, and should beat us, what do you think our
fate would be?" demanded the girl, coming close to me and laying her
hand upon my arm in the earnestness of her questioning.

I drew in my breath sharply at the mere suggestion. "They must not be
allowed to beat us," I exclaimed harshly. "Such a possibility will not
bear thinking of."

"Ah! I understand. So you think it might be as bad as that," returned
my companion; and I saw the colour ebb from her cheeks and lips, leaving
them white as marble, while her fingers closed like a vice upon my arm.
"But if you should be hurt," she continued, "what would happen then?"

"It _mustn't_ happen," I exclaimed; "it mustn't! I must take
precautions of some sort to provide against such a possibility."

"Of course," she eagerly agreed. "But, supposing that in spite of your
precautions you should be hurt--or killed,"--she shivered
violently--"what then?"

"I will tell you," I said, seizing both her hands in mine and crushing
them, I fear, in the passion of horror which her persistence conjured
up. "I will give you, your mother, and the stewardesses a revolver
each, and if by evil chance that junk should prove to be an enemy, and
should get the upper hand of us, you must shoot yourselves, rather than
fall alive into the hands of the Chinamen! Of course you need not take
such a desperate step until the very last moment, when it has become
evident that escape is impossible; but when that moment arrives--do you
think you will have the courage to do as I say?"

"Yes," she whispered hoarsely. "I shall--and I will.