berts, slices those two across the
face, and so begins it. I knocked two of 'em over with my fist, but
them niggers' heads is tarnal hard, and fists is no account against a
hundred of them fellows, when they have your cutlass, too; so I comes up
to you to tell you, sir."

"Are all the men on deck?" asked the lieutenant. "Yes, sir, all."

"Get the arms out of the chest, Jones. Let each man have fifty rounds
of ammunition. Four men keep watch over this hatch, and shoot any slave
who attempts to force it up. Blake, you take two men, and see that the
slaver's crew are quiet. Give them a hint that we are not to be trifled
with, and then wait for orders."

These directions having been given by the lieutenant, he reloaded his
pistol, and turning to Hans, said, "The two hundred slaves, if on this
deck, would murder us, and throw us into the sea, in spite of our
weapons; but if we can keep them under hatches, they can do nothing,
though they all get free of their chains. If a breeze does spring up,
we shall be in Simon's Bay in twenty-four hours, and we can then obtain
force enough to defy all these savages. Two of my men are murdered, I
fear, and I can give them no aid even if they are not. These savages
are like infuriated wild beasts when they have once tasted blood, and to
open that hatch now would risk all our lives. You have no weapons," he
remarked, seeing that Hans had neither sword nor pistol. "Go into my
cabin; you will find a double-barrelled pistol above the cot in which I
sleep. We may all want to use our weapons."

Hans entered the cabin, and found the pistol, with which he returned on
deck, when he immediately joined the lieutenant, who was directing his
men how to oppose the efforts of the slaves to force the hatchway; one
or two thrusts with a cutlass, and the exhibition of a pistol, being
found effective to check these attempts on the part of the slaves.

Yells and groans were uttered for some time by the slaves, when a loud
voice, as of one directing them, resounded above the tumult, and all was
for a time hushed. The lieutenant, with Hans and the crew, fancied that
a combined effort would be made to force the hatches up, and they
therefore prepared to resist this; but as time went on, and no
resistance seemed to be offered, they began to think this attempt would
not be made.

Darkness came on with great rapidity, as it always does in the tropics;
and before any attempt was made by the slave