"What is the plan?" asked the mid.
Fielding hurriedly unfolded his scheme, and Oki explained it to his companions. The Japanese nodded significantly. There was no time to lose, for the minute was nearly up, and Fielding was practically certain that Cervillo would keep his word. The life of a lower-deck man was not worth considering as far as he was concerned.
Revolver in hand, General Oki and Mukyima took their places at the slits nearest the entrance to the conning-tower. The sub. uttered the sharp subdued word "Now!" The next instant Fielding, Cardyke, and Hokosuka darted from their place of shelter.
Before Cervillo could recover from his astonishment he was floored by a well-directed blow from the athletic sub., who, stooping, grasped the half-stunned pirate by the shoulders. Simultaneously the mid. caught hold of Cervillo's legs. Nor was the Japanese idle. With a bound he reached the spot where Tom Hardy was standing between the two armed men. One fell by a sharp blow in the throat; the other, thrown completely over Hokosuka's shoulders, landed in the midst of a crowd of his comrades, scattering them right and left.
[Illustration: BEFORE CERVILLO COULD RECOVER FROM HIS ASTONISHMENT HE WAS FLOORED BY THE ATHLETIC SUB.]
Taken aback, the pirates were either too dumbfounded to use their pistols or else were afraid of hitting their leader. One or two attempted a rush, but half-a-dozen shots from the conning-tower checked all attempts at rescue.
Within fifteen seconds from the time the sub. uttered the word "Now!" the three daring men were safe within the conning-tower once more, with Tom Hardy and the pirate captain to add to the number of the steel citadel.
"Now we can have a little understanding with Señor Juan Cervillo," exclaimed Fielding as he proceeded to secure the rascally Spaniard with the bonds that had been removed from the coxswain's limbs. "I don't fancy he'll be quite so keen about chucking lumps of dynamite into the conning-tower."