'Have you a glass?' almost shrieked the commander. 'By Heaven, Ada, I believe the men have seized the ship!'
Whilst he said it, the vessel was a scene of commotion and disorder. A boat had been lowered, and five men had pulled hastily under the stern. The topsail had been swung, then hauled afresh, and the foretopsail backed, and within an hour of Captain Jackman having gone on board his ship to seize the Portuguese galleon, a boat of the brig, with Bill Hoey steering her, was swept to Bugsby's Hole.
Commander Conway and his daughter ran down the tunnel to hear what had happened. The huge form of Hoey stood in the orifice, and beyond lay the boat in the clear gleams and lights of the high Atlantic afternoon, with men tending her, and some gathering near to Hoey to listen to what was to follow.
'I think you are a retired commander in the Navy,' said Hoey, respectfully saluting the commander.
'That's so. What's gone wrong with you?' answered the commander, speaking with great agitation.
'We want you to take charge of the brig to a naval port, and tell our story for us,' said Hoey. 'We was tricked into this job. We never signed for piracy, and the likes of that. We was to seek for a treasure that lay hid in an island. We laid hold of him when he came aboard, and told him plainly that we had mutinied, and meant to carry the ship and himself to where we could report the case to an admiral. He knew we were no pirates. He turned black with passion. "Who's going to be answerable," says I, "for wrecking that there revenue cutter?" He slapped his hand to his pocket, and I sprang upon him, and some of us ran him below, and locked him up in his own cabin. It has a big stern-window, which we had overlooked, and, being naturally mad, as all hands for some time had been aware, he goes and proves it by dropping overboard, and drowning himself, and I came off at once, sir, to give you the news, and ask for instructions.'
A long, wild shriek, incommunicable in words, rang through the tunnel, but Ada stood upright nevertheless.
'Are you sure he is drowned?' asked the commander.
'Oh yes, sir,' answered Hoey. 'A good search was made, and nothing of him was seen.'
'Oh, Walter!' moaned the girl; then, screaming at Hoey, 'Ruffians! cowards! murderers!' she swung on her heels, and rushed wildly up the tunnel.