“I’ll go with you and help you,” I cried, for I fully believed Mr Frewen’s words, which proved quite correct, till we had passed down all that we had taken, the men eagerly thrusting up their hands and seizing bottle and biscuit.
Then as the last bottle of water was handed through the opening Bob Hampton had left when he nailed the boards over, Jarette shouted—
“That isn’t all, is it?”
“Yes,” I said, “that’s all you’ll get;” and fortunately I started away and fell back in my fright, for quick as lightning the scoundrel thrust out a pistol and fired at me, the flash being so close that I felt sure for the moment that I was hit. In fact I was stunned, but it was from the sharp rap which I gave the back of my head on the deck.
“Hurt?” cried Mr Frewen, running to my help, as I sat up rubbing the back of my head.
“Hurt? Yes, of course I am,” I cried, angrily; but I laughed it off the next minute, for I was afraid that they would think it cowardly of me for shrinking away.
“I’m afraid it will be some time before they get any more refreshments,” said Mr Preddle, laughing; and now by Mr Brymer’s orders a tarpaulin was drawn over the top of the hatch, but it had not been there a minute before a knife-blade was passed through it, and a good-sized piece cut out.
Then a board was thrown on, but it was only tossed away, and shot after shot was fired, evidently, from the good aim taken, by some one who could see the people on deck.
Nothing more was done then, for the mutineers made no further attempt to escape; and in wonderful contrast to what we had gone through, it now fell perfectly calm, with the sun blazing down upon us and the heat intense.
Short-handed though we were, matters fell back into the old ship routine, with the exception that the watches kept were against something more serious than the weather.