This was all Bob cared to hear. He knew now how the giant had been secured, and without another word or the least show of resistance, he allowed Archie to lock the irons about his wrists and ankles. This being done, and the revolvers which Stevens found in his pockets having been tossed over the side, the ticket-of-leave man was commanded to sit down on the deck and remain there quietly under guard of the negro cook, while Frank and his companions went forward to secure the other convicts. The one who belonged to the starboard watch was fast asleep on the mattress which Archie had provided for him. He was ironed before he was fairly awake, and was marched to the quarter-deck and ordered to sit down by the side of the ticket-of-leave man. His revolvers were also consigned to the care of Old Neptune, for Frank did not think it safe to have too many of these dangerous weapons on board. The two convicts who were asleep in the forecastle were also secured without difficulty. One of them made a feeble resistance at first, but a sharp punch from Brown’s handspike brought him to his senses. The work was all done in five minutes, and then Frank and his cousin looked at each other and drew a long breath of relief.
“This relieves me from answering a very disagreeable question,” said the young captain—“one that I could not bear to think of; that is, what would have become of Uncle Dick and the rest if we had been obliged to take these fellows to ’Frisco, and what would we have done with the schooner after we got there? I thought our voyage was ended sure enough.”
The two convicts in the forecastle having been secured, Frank ordered them on deck and marched them into the cabin, picking up Bob and his companion on the way. Waters was still fast asleep on his mattress, and each of the prisoners gave him a hearty kick as he stepped over him. This finally aroused the giant, who started up with an angry exclamation on his lips, but he sank back on his mattress again when he saw Brown standing over him with uplifted handspike. Then his eyes wandered to his companions, who in obedience to Frank’s orders had seated themselves in a row against the after bulkhead, and from them they came back to the irons on his wrists and ankles. Archie expected him to go into a perfect tempest of fury, but Waters did nothing of the kind. He had probably had the bracelets on him often enough to know that they render a man utterly powerless for mischief. He leaned his elbow on the mattress and rested his head on his hand. “Who done it, cap’n?” he asked.
“I did,” replied Archie.
“You!” exclaimed the giant. He ran his eyes over Archie’s slender little figure, and then looked down at his own colossal proportions. “Well, you’re the pluckiest little chap I ever saw. There isn’t a man in Tasmania who could be hired to do such a thing. Did you know that you ran the biggest kind of a risk?”
“I did, but I took the chances.”
“I might have knowed that I’d have some Yankee trick or another played on me before I got through with this business,” growled Waters.
“Get up and sit with the rest,” said Archie. “You are right in the way there.”
He hardly expected that the giant would obey, but he did, and that, too, without an instant’s hesitation. He arose and took his place with his companions, who at once began to upbraid him for being the cause of their misfortunes. “If he had not slept so soundly, that little Yankee never would have thought of putting irons on him,” they said. “Why couldn’t he keep one eye about half open when he knew that his liberty was the price of vigilance?” Waters replied in an angry tone, and the debate grew hotter and louder until Frank commanded silence.
“We’re not going to have bedlam here,” said he, emphatically. “If you want to stay in the cabin you must keep quiet; if you don’t you’ll all go in the brig.”