"No, sir!" shouted the speaker and his companions, with energy.
We plied them with questions till we were satisfied that they had not been tampered with. Grego had visited the hold and brought up the rum, without the knowledge of any of the officers. The conspirators had only intended to make the crew drunk; but Martino and Gorro had doubtless drank more than was laid down in the programme.
"The men will be all right as soon as they are sober," said Captain York. "They haven't joined the pirates."
"No; that's plain enough; but in getting drunk they have done almost as badly."
"Well, what shall we do? We may find it necessary to haul up the courses and reef topsails. The bark has about all she can stagger under now, and we haven't hands enough to watch the pirates and handle the vessel at the same time."
"That's very true," I replied.
"I suppose the pirates are only waiting for us to be busy, when they will make their strike. There are seven of them between decks, you know."
"No matter; we can handle them, if we are careful and prudent. They are only waiting for Martino to open the fore scuttle."
"How do you know?"
"I don't know; but from what we have seen of their plan we can judge of the rest. Martino and Gorro were to remain on deck, while the other three sailors were to release the prisoners. The two on deck have evidently overdone their part, as all drunken men are apt to do. I have only to say that, if they had kept sober, and the other seven had reached the deck, the nine might have overpowered us, while nearly all our men were helplessly intoxicated."