"You fear an uprising, a mutiny?" I questioned, "when this is reported?"
"What will prevent?" he asked. "The Captain cannot stir; the mate dead; the men already crazed because we take no prizes. They will murder us also, and take control."
"Who will? Those devils amidships?"
"Ay; they care only to fight for gold—it is their trade."
"And who leads them? Who would they make captain?"
"Manuel Estevan," he whispered, "he would be the one."
"I thought as much. Then it is Manuel Estevan we must secure first—before they know. 'Tis my thought he is at the bottom of it all, and our hope lies in our early discovery. If we can act before he does, we may thwart his plan. Listen, LeVere; I will speak low for that forward stateroom is his. He has not supposed we would discover the murder so quickly, for he knew nothing of Estada's request that he be called at daylight—is this true?"
"Si, Senor; it was his last order when he went below."
"Good; then we must organize before he can act. We have that one chance left. Whatever his men may know of what has occurred they will make no move until they get his orders. We must stop the possibility of his issuing any. Without a leader, the advantage is ours."
"You mean to kill him?"