It was a very striking spectacle, even after all the hitting had been done, to see six men held down on the floor. Tom Speers had fought like a tiger with a Frenchman he had tackled alone in the beginning of the affray; and, though O’Hara came to his aid, it was not till he had nearly overcome his foe.
“What shall we do with them?” asked the Prince, as soon as he could obtain breath enough to speak.
“Who hasn’t his hands full?” demanded the boatswain.
“I haven’t,” replied the captain.
“Then have rope enough sent down to tie these fellows hand and foot, if you please, captain,” added Shakings.
But all the watch except the quartermaster and the seaman at the wheel had heard the noise of the conflict, and had secured positions where they could see what was going on in the hold. As soon as they heard the call of Shakings, they gathered up all the spare line they could find about the deck and in the lockers, and threw it down into the fire-room. O’Hara passed them to the victors in the conflict, and each secured his own man. The battle was ended, and the victory won.
“Do you want wine now, you villains?” said the Prince when the conquest was completed.
“But we are pretty much out of firemen,” added the captain, as he looked at the mutineers, made fast to the stanchions and other parts of the vessel.
“I am willing to take my turn at the shovels,” replied the Prince.
By this time the fires in the furnaces were burning in the most satisfactory manner; and the Prince declared that the steamer was increasing her speed. The captain directed that several of the students who had done duty in the fire-room before the foreigners came on board should be detailed to serve again. Four of them appeared in answer to the summons; and, as the novelty of the occupation had not worn off, they were glad to be employed in this capacity again. All hands except the firemen, the boatswain, and the carpenter, left the fire-room.