He handed an adze to each; he himself carried a saw.
As soon as they were on deck under the stars, and a bright scimitar of a moon, that silvered all the calm and heaving sea, Johnnie whispered to his followers—
“We scuppers the deck right over the store-room. Down we goes, and there’s the rum.”
. . . . . .
Those below heard with fear and trembling the blows and thuds on the upper deck abaft the saloon.
“They’re scuppering the deck to descend to the spirit-room,” said Archie the mate.
“Heaven be praised!” cried Antonio, “even in that there is a ray of hope.”
In less than ten minutes a hole had been made through the upper deck. A candle was lit, and down went one of the men. Shortly after, the door leading to the saloon was barricaded. Then first one huge black jack, and then another, was hauled up.
These were coolly emptied into a bucket, another bucket was filled, and once more the men went forward.
. . . . . .