She and Jim had managed to plug all the shot-holes, and now that the sea was smoother they were able to take a spell at the baling.
"Lolie, you're a brick. Pluckiest little woman I've ever met," declared the rolling-stone fervently, as he knelt beside her.
"Have we any chance, Jack?" she asked sadly.
"Why, of course! You don't want to give in, do you, dearie? I should think you had seen about enough of the Black Adder."
"Me? I'd rather die than fall into the hands of Dago Charlie!" she cried vehemently.
"I thought so," observed Jack, with a keen look of approval in his eyes; and then went on almost gaily, "Then it's a fight to the finish, isn't that so, boys? We won't give her up, will we? No surrender to Dago Charlie for us?"
"Give her up? I'm a blasted grabby if we does any such thing," grunted Bill scornfully.
"I should smile," drawled Broncho. "What kinder skunks do you-alls think we is? I don't drop out o' this deal till my lamp goes out or that pesterin' snake yonder pulls his freight."
"We're never goin' to give you up to that fiend, mum," chimed in Jim, with a ferocious frown of valour on his face.
"Why," whispered the bluejacket under his breath to Jack, "the dago mighty near marooned us without 'er; an' if 'e got us now, it'd be over the side for us, and worse for 'er. 'E'll run no more chaunces like last time."