"Now," said Calamity, rising from his chair, "I'll signal Mr. Dykes to put the same proposal to his men."
He accordingly did this, and in a very short time received a message back to the effect that the men would prefer the cash payment.
At eight o'clock that evening the crew of the Hawk lined up aft to receive their money. As each man's name was called out by the bos'n, the owner of it stepped up to the little table where Calamity was seated and received in his hat the equivalent in money and notes of about a hundred and twenty pounds, prize-money and pay. When they had all been paid, a boat was lowered and the Captain went aboard the Satellite, where a similar distribution was made.
Later on that night, when it was quite dark, a boat approached the Hawk and made fast under her stern. Some cases and bags were lowered into her and then she slipped away into the darkness again.
CHAPTER XXV
THE ARREST
Early on the following morning the Hawk, with the gunboat in her wake, steamed towards Singapore harbour. As the vessels drew nearer, a motor-boat was seen approaching at full speed, and presently a man in the stern stood up and began to wave his arms frantically, apparently as a signal for the ships to heave-to.
"Now, who the devil's that?" muttered Calamity, who was on the bridge with the pilot.
"Looks uncommon like Solomon's new motor bum-boat," answered the latter. "That's his water-clerk in the stern."