neers might not suspect what was taking place.

Each member of the party armed himself both with a pistol and a cutlass,
and Larry led the way as before, candle in hand. It was easy for Luke to
follow him, but rather difficult for the captain, who was more portly.

"Reckon as how ye shouldn't have eaten so much, captain," chuckled the
old tar, as he helped Captain Ponsberry through a particularly narrow
place.

"True, Striker," was the answer. "But you be careful that you don't slip
into some slit between the cases and go out of sight."

They soon gained the spot where the canned goods had been found. They
had now to climb over some machinery that reached nearly to the top of
the hold, and then over a varied collection of boxes and barrels and
bags. On the bags lay some of the old sails of the ship and several
coils of discarded rope.

They were just approaching the open fore hatch when they saw a rope
ladder let down. Instantly Larry uttered a warning and put out the
light.

"Somebody is coming down," he whispered.

It was the sailor Wilbur, who had been sent to get some canned goods for
cooking purposes. He came down the rope ladder with a lantern slung over
one arm.

"We'll make him a prisoner!" cried Captain Ponsberry. "And let us do it
as quietly as we can, so as not to disturb those on deck."

The others understood and crouched back in the darkness. Then, as Wilbur
passed them, the captain caught him from the back and Larry clapped a
hand over the fellow's mouth.

"Oh!" spluttered Wilbur, but that was as far as he got.

"Not a word! Not a sound, Wilbur!" said Captain Ponsberry, earnestly.

The sailor understood, and being a craven at heart he almost collapsed.
It was an easy matter to take one of the old ropes and tie his hands
behind him. Then Captain Ponsberry confronted the mutineer, making a
liberal exhibition of his pistol as he did so.

"Wilbur, answer me truthfully," said the master of the _Columbia_. "Are
you all in this mutiny or not? Don't speak above a whisper."

"I ain't in it!" whined Wilbur. "They dragged me in, they did. I ain't
kicking about grub, or nothing!"

"Are all the others in it?"

"Kind of, yes. Groot didn't care much to go in. Guess he wish he was out
of it now."

"What has become of Grandon and Vincent?"

"Both of 'em are prisoners in the brig."

"Are they wounded?"

"Not much. Grandon had his thumb cut and Vincent got a kick in the back
that lamed him."

"Is