Chapter Fourteen.
The result of that thrust was that the door was opened some little distance, and then stopped by part of the pile of chests and other luggage formed into a barricade.
There was a dead silence in the saloon as the deep voice of a man was heard speaking in a subdued tone to those with him; and pointing to the sky-light, Mr Frewen stepped back from the defenders of the barricade so as to be ready in case an effort should be made to assail them there.
Then the door was rattled loudly, and Jarette’s voice was heard speaking angrily to some one without.
Again there was silence for a few moments, and then Jarette cried, “Now then; do you hear?”
This was followed by a sharp rap on the door, and a voice cried—
“You in the cabin—Captain Jarette says you are to understand that he is now master of this ship, and that no harm will be done to any one if you all give up quietly.”
“And if we do not,” said Captain Berriman, sharply, “what then?”