ble to move the
thing."

"Wait a minute, Dimchurch. Let each man make sure that his musket is
loaded."

There was a short pause, during which all firelocks were carefully
examined. When he saw that all were in good order, Will said:

"Now, lads, heave away."

Slowly the hatchway yielded, and with a great effort it was pushed up far
enough for a man to crawl out. Pieces of wood were shoved in at each
corner so as to hold the hatch open, and the men who had lifted it stood
clear.

"Clamber out, Dimchurch, and have a look round. Are there many of them on
deck?"

"Only about a dozen, as far as I can make out, sir. They are jabbering
away among themselves disputing, I should say, as to the best way to get
at us."

"I expect they intend to leave us alone and take us into Algiers. However,
that does not matter. You two crawl out and lie down, then give me a hand
and hoist me out. I think the others can all reach, except Tom; you had
better hoist him up after me."

Each man, as he clambered out, lay down on the deck. When all were up,
they crawled along aft to within a few yards of the Moors, then leapt to
their feet and fired a volley. Five of the Moors fell, while the others,
panic-stricken, ran below.

"Now, pile cables over the hatchway," Will shouted.

The sailors rushed to carry out the order. They were startled as they did
so by a shout from above.

"Hillo, below there! Have you got possession of the ship?"

"Yes. Is that you, Forster?"

"Yes."

"Thank God for that!" Will shouted back, while the men gave a cheer. "Why
don't you come down?"

"I am going to slide down the mast."

"What for? Why don't you come down by the rattlings?"

"I have cut the shrouds. When our last man fell I made a dash for them,
and directly I got to the top I cut them, and half a dozen men who were
climbing after me fell sprawling to the deck. Then I cut them on the other
side. I thought then that they would at once shoot me, but there was a
lively argument among them and shouts of laughter, and they evidently
thought that it would be a great joke to leave me up here until I chose to
slide down and be killed. Of course I heard their attack on you, and
trembled for the result; but when the noise suddenly ceased I guessed that
you had repulsed them. Well, here goes!" and half a minute later he slid
down to the deck. "How do matters stand?" he asked, when he stood among
them.

"We killed six and wounded eight or ten in the