f
the Dort the true history of what they but imperfectly heard: and before
they were summoned to return, had received full intelligence. They
coincided with the seamen of the Dort, that the appearance of the
Phantom Ship, which had occasioned their present disaster, was a
judgment upon the admiral, for his conduct in having so cruelly
_deserted_ the poor commodore.

Upon the return of the officer with Philip's answer, the rage of the
admiral was beyond all bounds. He ordered the guns aft which would bear
upon the Dort to be double-shotted, and fired into her; but Krantz
pointed out to him that they could not bring more guns to bear upon the
Dort, in their present situation, than the Dort could bring to bear upon
them; that their superior force was thus neutralised, and that no
advantage could result from taking such a step. The admiral immediately
put Krantz under arrest, and proceeded to put into execution his insane
intentions. In this he was, however, prevented by the seamen of the
Lion, who neither wished to fire upon their consort, or to be fired at
in return. The report of the boat's crew had been circulated through
the ship, and the men felt too much ill-will against the admiral, an
perceived at the same time the extreme difficulty of their situation, to
wish to make it worse. They did not proceed to open mutiny, but they
went down below, and when the officers ordered them up, they refused to
go upon deck; and the officers, who were equally disgusted with the
admiral's conduct, merely informed him of the state of the ship's
company, without naming individuals so as to excite his resentment
against any one in particular. Such was the state of affairs when the
sun went down. Nothing had been done on board the admiral's ship, for
Krantz was under arrest, and the admiral had retired in a state of fury
to his cabin.

In the mean time, Philip and the ship's company had not been idle--they
had laid an anchor out astern, and hove taut: they had started all the
water, and were pumping it out, when a boat pulled alongside, and Krantz
made his appearance on deck.

"Captain Vanderdecken, I have come to put myself under your orders, if
you will receive me--if not, render me your protection; for, as sure as
fate, I should have been hanged to-morrow morning, if I had remained in
my own ship. The men in the boat have come with the same intention--
that of joining you, if you will permit them."

Although Philip woul