lf. "Where is Grandon?"

"On deck; he sent me to tell you. They have set Semmel free and some of
'em are arming themselves."

"A mutiny!" roared Captain Ponsberry. "Striker, you'll stand by me, of
course?"

"That I will, sir--to the end."

"Good. I know Vincent will do the same. Do you know anything about the
others?"

"I think you can count on Jeff the cook."

"What of Wilbur?"

"He's so weak-kneed I don't know what he'll do," answered Striker.

By this time Larry was out of his stateroom. With his door ajar he had
heard all that had been said.

"Oh, Luke, do you think they'll try to seize the ship?" he gasped.

"Don't know what they'll do. They're a plumb crazy lot," growled the old
tar. "It was a mistake to take such fellers as Semmel and Peterson and
Shamhaven aboard."

"That is true, but when Devine and Larson got sick and went to the
hospital at Manila I had to get somebody," answered Captain Ponsberry.
He brought out several pistols. "Here, Larry, take one of these, and a
cutlass, too, and you, Striker, can arm yourself likewise."

There was no time to answer, for the master of the schooner was already
striding through the cabin in the direction of the companionway. An
instant later came a yell from the deck, followed by heavy footsteps and
then the report of a pistol.

"Drive dem to de cabin!" came in the voice of Semmel. "Drive dem along,
kvick!" And then followed another yell and the sounds of half a dozen
blows.

"Below there!" came in Tom Grandon's voice. "Help! help!"

"I'm coming!" called up Captain Ponsberry.

"Don't you dare to step on deck, captain!" yelled down the voice of
Shamhaven. "Don't you dare to do it!" And the sailor appeared, pistol in
hand, at the top of the companionway.

"Shamhaven, what does this mean?" demanded the master of the _Columbia_.

"It means that we have taken possession of the ship, that's what it
means," came from Groot.

"Of you come up here, you maybe git killed," put in Ostag Semmel. "You
stay down dare, you hear?" And then, as the captain started to mount the
stairs, he threw down a belaying pin. In the semi-darkness the captain
did not see the object, and it struck him on the top of the head,
rendering him partly unconscious.

Larry and Luke were close behind their leader and both were alarmed to
see him go down, uttering a deep groan as he did so.

"Is he killed?" questioned the young second mate.

"I don't know," was the old tar's response.