The hatch had in the meantime been removed, and in the square above Tom could see the fast darkening sky, with two heads peering down into the darkness below.
"Can't see the old rats, can you?" said one.
"Have to get a lantern and investigate," answered the other. "Hey, Jack pass us a light, and come along below. Going to pay a visit to the captain and his good friends."
"Let's give them a warm reception," whispered Tom. "We four can easily surprise the three of them, and before they can get any help from above, we can get away, and climb into your store-house, captain."
"Go ahead," replied the captain, only too glad of the chance to settle scores with some of his rebel crew.
As the three sailors slowly descended the ladder, the first one carrying the lantern, our four friends stole softly nearer to the limited circle of light cast by the lantern's flickering rays.
The foremost sailor had just reached the bottom, when with a shout, Tim sprang for the man highest up, and, catching him by the ankles, threw him heavily from the ladder. The other two, taken by surprise at this unexpected assault from the men they had supposed to be bound, made very little trouble for the three Patriots, and were soon rolled up in the same ropes that their victims had recently escaped from.
The mutineers overhead hearing the scuffle in the hold, crowded about the hatchway, shouting questions to their comrades.
"Come down and see what's the matter," yelled the captain. "There's room for all of you in the same place your friends are stowed."
"We'll keep up the talk," interposed Tom quietly, "while you get the trap open into the gun room."