“Yes; and the strange part about it was that before the attack some blighter extracted the ball cartridges from my revolver and substituted blank.”
“I can understand a fellow in league with the pirates removing the live cartridges; but what was the object in reloading with blank? Seems to me his object would be achieved if he left the chambers empty.”
“Because he thought I might snap open the breach and make sure the revolver was loaded,” explained Raxworthy. “As a matter of fact, I did.”
“And the cartridges; were they blank ammunition or had someone merely broken out the bullets?”
“That I can’t say, sir. Never had a chance to look. After I’d emptied the pistol without effect and had got a crack across the head, I was knocked out properly. I never set eyes on my revolver again.”
“But what has that to do with our messman?”
“I may be wrong, but he’s exactly like the Ah-Foo’s steward who, I feel certain, tampered with the revolver. As far as I know no one else entered my cabin——”
“Want to question the fellow?”
“I’d like to, sir.”
Beckoning to a seaman, Poundall told him to bring the second messman to him; for the Chinaman, without giving a glance at the midshipman, had gone for’ard.