swered Jenkins, his hoarse whisper becoming a
voice. "Not a one of you. Sampson and I will be responsible for this."

"All right, then," responded Forsythe. "But I'll carry my gun all the
time. I'm not going to be shot down without a white man's chance."

"You'll carry a gun, my son," said Sampson, "when we give it to you--and
then it won't be to shoot Mr. Denman. It's on your account, remember,
that we're giving him a gun. Now, Mr. Denman, where are the pistols and
toothpicks?"

"The pistols are in my room, the cutlasses in the room opposite. You
have the keys."

"Aft all hands," ordered Jenkins, fumbling in his pockets for the keys,
"and get the weapons."

Away they trooped, and crowded down the wardroom companion, Sampson
lifting his cap politely to the girl in the chair. In a short time they
reappeared, each man loaded down with pistols and cutlasses. They
placed them in the forecastle, and when they had come up Sampson
released Denman's bonds.

"Now, sir," he said, "you are free. We'll keep our promises, and we
expect you to keep yours. Here is your gun, Mr. Denman."

"Thank you, Sampson," said Denman, pocketing the revolver and shaking
his aching hands to circulate the blood. "Of course, we are to keep our
promises."

"Even though you see things done that will raise your hair, sir."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Denman, with sudden interest.

"Can't tell you anything, sir, except what you may know, or will know.
This boat is _not_ bound for the African coast. That's all, sir."

"Go below the watch," broke in Jenkins' husky voice. "To stations, the
rest."

CHAPTER XIX

"What happened, Billie?" asked Florrie as Denman joined her.

"Not much, Florrie," he replied, as cheerfully as was possible in his
mood. "Only a physical and practical demonstration that I am the two
ends and the bight of a fool."

"You are not a fool, Billie; but what happened? How did they get out?"

"By picking the lock of the door, I suppose; or, perhaps, they had a key
inside. That's where the fool comes in. I should have nailed the door on
them."

"And what do they mean to do?"

"Don't know. They have some new project in mind. But we're better off
than before, girl. We're at liberty to carry arms, and to go and come,
provided we stay this side of the galley hatch. They are to let us alone
and stay forward of the hatch. By the way," he added. "In view of the
rather indeterminate outlook, let's carry our hardware ou