"We must manage somehow," answered Calamity.
Mr. Dykes, however, mildly protested. He pointed out that there were only himself and Smith available to take command of her, and, since only one of them could be spared from the Hawk, the whole work of navigating the gunboat would fall on one man.
"It would mean that he'd have to be on the bridge practically night and day, sir," he concluded.
"You'll have to make the best arrangements you can, that's all."
"Me, sir!" ejaculated the mate.
"Yes, I shall place you in command of the gunboat with some of the Hawk's men. You must divide the watches with the bos'n's-mate and any other man you like to select. You may pick your crew."
Mr. Dykes groaned, but decided that it was not safe to offer any further objections. To be placed in command of a steamer without even one reliable officer under him, and with, perhaps, twenty or more prisoners on board, was a great deal more than he had bargained for.
"What about an engineer, sir?" he asked.
"You can have Sims."
The mate choked back the remark he was about to make concerning the qualities of Mr. Sims. But inwardly he vowed that, if the second-engineer had no conception of what hell might be like, he would be in possession of a good working theory before he left the gunboat.