At the Fall of Port Arthur Part 12

"I am all right, and so are the captain and Luke Striker. They are in the hold, ready to come on deck. We have made Wilbur a prisoner."

"Good enough," came from the boatswain. "The rascals! They ought all to walk the plank!" he added, vehemently.

The two men had their hands tied behind them, but it was an easy matter for Larry to liberate them. Then each provided himself with a belaying pin, and all three of the party stole to the deck.

From the forecastle and the cook's galley came loud talking, showing that the mutineers were making themselves at home. One man was trying to do some cooking.

"What's keeping Wilbur so long?" he demanded of the others.

n.o.body knew, and one of the crowd, the sailor named Groot, volunteered to look the missing one up.

"Let us follow him to the hatch," whispered Larry. "Perhaps we can make him a prisoner."

"Right you are," answered Tom Grandon.

With caution they came up behind the man, and just as Groot leaned over the open hatchway, they caught him tightly.

"Keep silent, Groot!" said Grandon. "Keep silent, or we'll throw you overboard."

"Stop!" roared the mutineer. "Help! hel----"

He got no further, for raising his belaying pin, Vincent brought it down on the mutineer's head. Groot had been the one to lame the boatswain's back and the latter had not forgotten it. Over went the fellow and sank down as if dead.

"Drop him into the hold," ordered Grandon, and this was done just as Captain Ponsberry and Luke Striker appeared at the foot of the rope ladder.

"Another, eh?" said the master of the _Columbia_. "Good enough! How are you, Tom? How are you, Vincent?"

"We're ready to fight 'em," answered the first mate. "Come on! They've got so much liquor aboard they can't do much to us!"

"Be careful, I don't want anybody shot if it can be avoided," responded Captain Ponsberry.

"I think it would be a good plan to dump them all into the hold," said Larry. "Then we could nail up that pantry door, put the hatch into place, and keep them at our mercy."

"If the plan will work, it's a good one," answered the captain.

One after another they came out on deck, leaving Wilbur and Groot in the hold. They found the mutineers equally divided between the galley and the forecastle. The only man in charge of the schooner was Conroy, who was at the wheel.

As they advanced upon the forecastle they saw Semmel come out, accompanied by Peterson.

"There are the ringleaders!" cried Captain Ponsberry, and rushing up to them he exclaimed: "Surrender, you rascals!" And he aimed his pistol, while the others also raised their weapons.

The Russian and his companion were taken completely by surprise, and before they could draw any weapons of their own it was too late. Grandon tripped one up and fell upon him, and then Vincent and Larry tripped up the other. There was a brief scuffle, the exchange of several blows which did little damage, and in a trice Semmel and Peterson were thrown down into the hold bodily, and the ladder was hauled up out of their reach.

"Put that hatch over the opening," cried Captain Ponsberry to Larry.

"And then go into the cabin pantry and nail up that door. Be quick about it, or they may get out!"

"Aye, aye, sir!" cried the young second mate, and ran off with all speed. The hatch was large and heavy, but the excitement lent him strength and he dragged it forward and threw it over the hatchway.

"Stop dat!" roared Semmel, in a drunken voice, but Larry paid no attention. His next movement was toward the cabin.

"Don't yo' tech me!" roared Jeff, in alarm. "Oh, it am yo'!" he added, as he recognized Larry. "How am de battle gwine?"

"We've got 'em on the run--four are prisoners in the hold," was Larry's reply. "Get me that box of nails, Jeff--I must put that door back as it was!"

"Yes, sah; yes, sah!" answered the cook, eagerly, and brought forth the nails in question. Then he helped to put the door into place, and held it while Larry nailed the barrier. The job was just completed when the young second mate heard voices from the hold.

"Hi, dare, you let us out," came from Peterson. "Ve vill mak it right, yes!"

"You keep quiet," ordered Larry, and would say no more. Against the door he and Jeff placed several trunks and boxes taken from the staterooms opening off of the cabin.

During this time the party led by Captain Ponsberry had attacked the balance of the mutineers. There was a brief fight and Shamhaven got a cutla.s.s cut on the knee. But then the men surrendered, and one after another was made to drop down into the hold, and the hatch was shut and battened down.

The only man who was not thus made a prisoner was Conroy, who begged at once to be forgiven.

"They got me to drink, captain," he pleaded. "I didn't know what I was doing. Forgive it, and I'll be the best man you ever had on board."

"Can I depend upon you, Conroy?" asked Captain Ponsberry, sternly.

"You can, sir--I give you my word on it."

"You won't try to help the mutineers?"

"No, sir; no, sir!"

"Very well then, I'll try you. But, remember, if you try any dirty work it will go hard with you. Now tell me, was Wilbur in favor of this mutiny?"

"No, sir, he was not. Semmel forced him into it."

"What of the others. Who were the ringleaders?"

"Semmel and Peterson and Shamhaven. The others didn't want to do anything but complain about the grub," answered Conroy, and then told the particulars of the mutiny from beginning to end.

CHAPTER IX

CLOSE TO A WATERSPOUT

It was decided to leave the mutineers in the hold undisturbed until morning. This done, those who had been hurt in the scrimmage had their wounds attended to, and then Jeff was set to work to prepare a good meal for all the loyal party. The galley was in a state of disorder, but this counted for nothing, and Jeff soon had matters straightened out.

After so much excitement n.o.body thought of retiring. Luke was stationed over the fore hatch, to give warning of any attempt on the part of the mutineers to regain their liberty. He was armed and he threatened to "blow the hull head off" of anybody who dared to show himself or make a noise. As a consequence the mutineers did nothing. Two made their way to the nailed-up door, but finding they could not open it, gave up the attempt as a bad job.

As a punishment for his misdeeds Conroy was kept at the wheel during the whole of the night. He was willing enough to do the extra work if only the captain would forgive him for his actions. The master of the ship questioned him closely, and in the end reached the conclusion that only Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven were the leaders in the attempt to seize the ship and that the others had followed after them like so many sheep.

"I am glad to hear this," he said to Grandon and Larry. "I think after I read them a strong lecture they'll behave themselves."

"But we shall have to watch 'em closely," said the first mate.