“Stand clear there, lads.”
There was no occasion for that order. It had been anticipated.
“Lower,” was again given.
The moment the feet of the creature touched the deck he dashed forward with ungovernable fury, broke the slings, overturned the bo’s’n, who fortunately rolled into the port scuppers, and took possession of the ship, driving the men into the chains and up the rigging.
“Jump up!” shouted Jim Welton to the bo’s’n.
“Here he comes aft!” yelled several of the men.
There was no need to warn the boatswain. He heard the thunder of the monster’s feet, and sprang into the main rigging with an amount of agility that could hardly have been excelled by a monkey.
“Why, what are you all afraid of?” asked the captain of the ship, who had come on board with a number of passengers just before the occurrence of this incident.
“Come down here, sir, and you’ll see,” replied the mate, who was in the main-chains.
The captain declined with a smile, and advised the use of a lasso.