Half a minute later Hokosuka, bound to the third sack with the severed portion of the rope by which he had been lowered, was dragged into the cabin. Mukyima bent over him, and placed his hand on the unconscious man's heart. It still beat feebly.
While the Japanese were attending to their courageous comrade Rutter approached.
"Can you come this way?" he asked, addressing Fielding. "I guess they're trying to break in. The hatch-cover is all a-shake."
CHAPTER XVII
TOUCH AND GO
Snatching up a revolver Fielding left the cabin and made his way along the half-deck till he reached the foremost ladder. Here were standing nearly a dozen men ready to repel the threatened attack. The American had spoken truly. Already there was a strain upon the tackles, and the metal covering was just rising from the coamings. The pirates were evidently trying to uncover the hatchway without alarming their foes.
Jumping on the ladder Fielding waited till there was sufficient room to thrust the muzzle of his revolver under the rising metal plate. He fired, but whether the shot found a billet or otherwise he knew not, for the men hauling at the tackles instantly let go, and the ponderous mass of metal fell with a clang. Simultaneously all the electric light in the after part of the ship went out; the pirates had cut the wiring. Lamps and candles were hastily procured, and as there were plenty in the store-room there was no cause for economy in this respect; while with the ice that Hokosuka had gathered almost at the cost of his life there was sufficient water to last nearly a fortnight.
Finding the partially liberated captives were on the alert the pirates desisted from making attempts upon the hatchway that night, and in consequence Fielding was able to divide his command into two watches, one of which could turn in while the other stood by ready for any emergency.
The pirate captain undoubtedly meant to attempt all artifices to recapture the prisoners solely on account of the bulk of the booty that was stored on the orlop-deck. Were it not for that important factor Cervillo would not hesitate to seize the first vessel he came across, transfer the remainder of the booty and crew to her, and scuttle the Independencia, without thought of mercy towards the men who had baulked him. But his greatest desire was to recover, by stratagem or force, the precious metal stored in the after part of the cruiser. Just before dark the voice of the pirate was heard speaking to them.