where he stood on the Captain's
bridge. Wondering if he still had the strength to force a leak in the
_Vulture's_ hull, as he had begun to do, he felt in the leather pouch
at his neck for the knife. At the bottom of the pouch his fingernails
hit a gritty substance, and into his head came an echo of Mr. Wicker's
words: "Remember the leather pouch!"

Taking out the knife, the folded balloon, and the map of where the
Jewel Tree had been, Chris, leaning against the side of the
_Mirabelle_, shook out the grainy stuff into the palm of one hand.

It looked like ground-up lava. Gray-black, almost a powder, it had a
faintly sulphurous smell. As he turned it speculatively in his hand,
wondering how he was supposed to use it, a few grains sifted between
Chris's fingers and fell over the side into the sea.

Instantly, as soon as they touched the water, several infinitesimal
flames started up, burning on the waves as hardily as if they had
fallen onto dry grass, and their heat produced a sturdy mist which
rose in heavy spirals from every grain.

Then Chris knew what it was for. Shaking every particle carefully back
into the bag, he hurried to find Captain Blizzard.

"Sir!" he cried as soon as he was within earshot, "the pirates are
bested, and we can make a safe escape if you will give an order to set
loose the grappling irons and lines and bid our men raise sail!" He
looked eagerly at Captain Blizzard. "The pirates look pretty tired
now, but the _Vulture_ might pursue us if I didn't know a way to stop
her!"

The Captain looked thoughtfully at Chris and hesitated not at all.
Too much had already depended on the boy and had been faithfully
carried out for even Captain Blizzard to doubt of his ability. Orders
were quickly given to cast off from the pirate ship and Chris
disappeared to a hidden corner. There he hid everything the leather
bag had contained excepting the grainy powder. Next, taking the bag
from around his neck and leaving the mouth of it wide open, he changed
his shape to that of a sea gull.

Taking the pouch in its beak the gull soared high above the two
vessels, now drifting imperceptibly apart. Sounds of violent fighting
could still be heard inside Claggett Chew's cabin, but the pirate crew
seemed grateful enough to fall to the bloody decks to rest and care
for their wounds. As the two ships finally stood clear of one another,
a resounding cheer of victory rose from the courageous members of the
_Mirabelle_.