enter
the saloon, after a careful reconnaissance of its interior, with several
plugs under one arm, and a maul in his hand. Seeing who it was, I
followed him, and unexpectedly ran against him as he was again coming
out.

"Who the--oh, it's you, sir! beg your pardon, I'm sure, but I thought it
was one of them sneakin' pirate chaps a-prowlin' round," he exclaimed.
"I thought I heard a sound o' some sort as I comed in from the deck, and
thinks I, `That's one o' them cowardly villains that has sneaked aft for
some purpose of his own that ain't no good, I dare swear. I'll just see
what the scoundrel's up to, and if he's after anything _very_ houtragis,
I'll maybe take the liberty of smashin' his skull with this here maul,
and droppin' him over the starn to the sharks, where many a better man
than he went this a'ternoon.' Lucky for him that it's you, sir, as the
Irishman says. I'm just a-goin' to make my way down into the run, so as
to be all handy for pluggin' up the holes again that these here
murderin' thieves intends to bore through the dear old gal's skin. I
_think_ they'll be pretty sure to come aft to do it; it'll either be
there or down in the fore-peak, where they'd have to shovel away a lot
of coal to get at her below the water-line, so I expect they'll make for
the run. Now, sir, it's a very good job as I met you just here, because
I can show you the lazarette hatch--here it is, under our feet." And he
turned back a large mat upon which we were standing, disclosing a small,
square hatch flush with the deck.

"Now, sir," he continued, "I'll be off below at once; because, from what
I saw as I comed aft, I fancy them Spanish thieves is thinkin' about
toppin' their booms, and if so, we've no time to spare. There," as he
raised the hatch and dropped through the opening, "I'm all right now,
sir; I can make my way well enough without a light, though I've got a
candle and matches in my pocket that'll give light enough to work by as
soon as them villains have cleared out. Now, sir, please put on the
hatch again, will ye, and don't forget to spread the mat over it. And
when them blackguards have gone you can send somebody to let me out."

"All right, Maxwell, never fear; I'll see to that," I answered, as the
man disappeared in the gloom. "Good luck to you. And whatever those
fellows may do, be sure that you keep silent and do not attempt to
interfere with them; let them do their work and go away, and as soon a