“Hear, hear!” from several voices emphatically.
“What’ll we do with him, then?” inquired one in angry excitement.
Upon this they all began to consult noisily, and they were so much engrossed that they failed to perceive the movements of Billy, who, when his first alarm at the uproar was over, began to feel deep anxiety in regard to his father’s bound and helpless condition. His active mind did not remain long paralysed; pulling out the clasp-knife which he always carried in his pocket, he quickly cut the cords that fastened Gaff’s wrists. Before the latter could avail himself of his freedom the act was discovered, and he was secured again more firmly than before, while Billy was favoured with a slap on the ear so tremendous that it threw all those he had ever received from his mother utterly into the shade!
Recovering from this, he sat down on the deck at his father’s feet, and wept silently.
In a few minutes the mutineers agreed among themselves. One of the smallest boats in the ship was lowered, and the captain and Gaff having been cast loose were ordered to get into it. The former obeyed at once, pronouncing a terrible curse on the crew as he went down the side.
One of the men at the same time threw a bag of biscuit into the boat.
“Come along, Billy,” said Gaff, as he followed the captain.
The boy was about to do so, when one of the men seized him and pulled him back.
“No, no,” said he, “the lad’s useful, and will only eat up your biscuit faster than need be. We’ll keep him aboard.”
Gaff listened to this with an expression of agony on his rugged features.