"I am willing to give you one chance to save your lives."
"You are very considerate. Mr. Pillgrim was going to blow her up for my special benefit."
"If you think I am not in earnest, you are greatly mistaken," continued the captain, as he stirred up the burning substances in the pan.
"I see you are in earnest, and I am waiting for you to blow her up."
"I will give you ten minutes to save your lives; for I have sworn this vessel shall never go into port as a prize. You and your people can take to the boats and save yourselves."
"Will you blow her up when we are gone?"
"I will."
"I have had quite enough of this, Captain Walmsley," said Somers, advancing to the fire king, revolver in hand. "Now go on deck, or I will blow your brains out, if you have any."
The captain looked at the revolver, and he might as well have acknowledged his defeat, for his face proclaimed it.
"If I should drop this into the cargo, it would blow up the ship."