Yellow Dog came into the forward cabin. He stopped a moment near me, then kicked me savagely, muttering strange sounds in his own language. I told him fluently in good seaman's English just what I thought of him, and if he did not understand me he was something dense, for I've had every kind of human under the sun on my ship's deck, and I have so far failed to notice any who could not understand me when I let off a few pieces of literature or oratory.
Yellow Dog seemed rather pleased than otherwise, for he called his man, the walrus-mustached one, and grinned while they held a confab. I took it that something choice would be handed me within a very short time.
When I had a chance to ask the skipper, he told us we were within forty miles of Pearl Harbor. From the way we nosed into the breeze, the schooner was now heading northwest across the ocean, giving the harbor a wide berth.
"What'll they do?" I asked him.
"Sink her, with us aboard—take the ten thousand dollars in the safe, and make a get-away with it. They'll turn up ashore in some deserted place, and that'll be about all. Then they'll divide the swag, separate, and Yellow Dog will go his way—probably back to China. It's not much money when you think of it for a white man, but it's a whole heap for a Chink."
After the day had well advanced we heard noises on deck. The foresail was lowered, or, rather, let go by the run, the noise of tearing gear sounding plainly. Topsails, staysails, and everything forward except the jib were cut away. Then the spanker was lowered, and left threshing about, half up, with the sheet hauled amidships. The jib was hauled to the mast, and the schooner lay hove to in the trade swell, riding easily upon the sea, and remaining very steady.
We heard them getting out the boats, and there was much noise from aft where the safe was fast to the deck in the captain's cabin. Finally a terrific explosion took place there, and after that the noises died away.
"Blew it," said Slade.
A smell of smoke now began to be apparently in the confined air of the cabin.
"Good Lord! Are they going to fire us?" asked the mate.