ust succeeded
in breaking open the main-hold, and just beginning another attack on the
cabin, when the report of the shell from the Blazer's pinnace as it
burst made the pirates scramble overboard for their lives.

"But, sure, I caught that chafe villain av theirs, at last, Misther
Gray-ham."

"Oh, did you!" I cried. "That chap in the red sash?"

"Aye, I kilt him as de'd as mutton jist now by the dor av me cabin in
the deck-house, where, would ye belaive me, sorr, the thaife wor
drainin' the last dhrop av grog out av me rhum bottle!"

"He didn't steal it though," said I, telling him all about Ching Wang's
plot for making the rascal drunk; whereat Tim was highly delighted,
patting the Chinaman on the back as the latter blandly smiled and beamed
upon him, not understanding a word he said. After this matter was
settled I bethought me of my bird "Dick."--"And how about the starling?"

"Oh, that's all roight," said Tim. "He scramed out `Bad cess to ye'
whin he saw the ugly pirate cap'en fall, an' sure, that wor as sinsible
as a Christian."

Everybody had got off pretty well, the majority only having a few slight
scratches and flesh wounds; all, save, of course, the three of the hands
who had been killed on deck in the first attack, and poor Mr Saunders,
who, Tim said, was sinking fast.

He did not die yet awhile, though, having a wonderful constitution and
persisting in eating and living where another man would have expired
long since.

And the ship? She wasn't lost after all, as might have been thought,
albeit ashore there on Prata Island and inside the reef. Oh, no. Mr
Mackay managed it all, and surprised everybody by the way he did it--
making even Lieutenant Toplift of the Blazer open his eyes.

I'll tell you what he did.--Our chief mate battened down two of the
pirate junks, making them water-tight, and then, weighting them with
heavy ballast till their decks were almost flush with the water, he made
them fast under the bows of the ship.

The ballast was then taken out of them, when, of course, as they floated
higher they lifted the Silver Queen; and a stream anchor being then got
out astern she was floated out into the lagoon, where on subsequent
examination she was found pretty water-tight below and staunch and sound
all round.

To get her out of the lagoon, the passage through the reef was well
buoyed and the ship lightened of her cargo, a large portion of which was
taken out of her and stowed in