"It's feasible, certainly," said Captain Ramshaw. "You think you can arrange this?"
"Yes, sir," replied Raeburn.
"Very good; then perhaps Mr. Aubyn and you will be at the rendezvous at seven bells. Mr. Aubyn will tell off a couple of hands in the event of any display of resistance. The man may be armed."
"We'll take the risk, sir," said Terence.
"Then that's settled. If you'll send Stone on deck, Mr. McBride, the sooner we have him under arrest the better."
"And the sooner I'm back in the engine-room the better, I'm thinking, sir," asserted McBride. "Nae doubt the dirty rogue will be up to his tricks again while I'm not there tae keep an eye on him."
A few minutes later Stone, sent under the pretence of fetching some article from the bos'un's store, was promptly pounced upon by a couple of quartermasters.
"What's the game, old sports?" he asked in a strong Cockney accent and with well-feigned innocence.
His captors made no reply, but led their unresisting prisoner for'ard and placed him in a compartment under lock and key.
As soon as the greaser's arrest was reported, Chief Officer Lymore and Aubyn went to inform him of the charge.