"Don't make any noise, or they'll suspect that we are up to something," said Captain Ponsberry.
"Let Jeff rattle some dishes," said Larry, and while he and Luke worked on the door, the cook began to handle the dishes in such a rough manner that several were broken. He also tried to sing a couple of verses of his favorite song, "My Gal Susannah!" but his voice was so shaky that the effort was, artistically, a failure, although it added to the noise, which was all that was desired.
"They're pretty happy down there," said Wilbur to Shamhaven, as he listened to the sounds.
"Oh, they're putting on a front," growled Shamhaven. "They'll sing a different tune when their stomachs are empty."
"I don't know about this mutiny," went on the weak-kneed sailor, nervously.
"Oh, it's all right and you needn't to worry, Wilbur. If we stick together we'll make a couple of thousand apiece out of this game."
"But what shall we do if we fall in with a Russian warship?"
"Semmel has that all fixed. He'll expose the captain and state that the Columbia is carrying a cargo for the Japanese Government, and that he took possession in the name of the Czar. With this war on they won't ask too many questions so long as they can give the Japs a black eye."
"I see. But supposing we fall in with a Japanese warship?"
"Then Semmel is going to turn the command over to me and I'll tell them that the cargo was really meant for the Japanese Government but that Captain Ponsberry, just before we left Manila, sold out to the Russian agents and was going to Vladivostok. I'll add that we refused to go to the Russian port after signing for Nagasaki, and all of the men can back me up. That will put the captain and his friends in limbo and give us some prize money. Oh, we'll come out ahead, don't you worry," concluded Shamhaven, confidently.