harm he had led us to, the good soul! and one of the six forecastle hands was little better.
"There's a man," said Captain Smollett, nodding toward him, "new to this work. He came nigh-hand fainting, doctor, when he heard the cry. Another touch of the rudder and that man would join us." I told my plan to the captain, and between us we settled on the details of its accomplishment.
We put old Redruth in the gallery between the cabin and the forecastle, with three or four loaded muskets and a mattress for protection. Hunter brought the boat round under the stern port, and Joyce and I set to work loading her with powder, tins, muskets, bags of biscuits, kegs of pork, a cask of cognac, and my invaluable medicine chest.
In the meantime the squire and the captain stayed on deck, and the latter hailed the cockswain, who was the principal man aboard.
"Mr. Hands," he said, "here are two of us with a brace of pistols each. If anyone of you six make a signal of any description, that man's dead."
They were a good deal taken aback; and, after a little consultation, one and all tumbled down the fore companion, thinking, no doubt, to take us on the rear. But when they saw Redruth waiting for them in the sparred gallery, they went about ship at once, and a head popped out again deck.
"Down, dog!" cried the captain.
And the head popped back again, and we heard no more for the time of these six very faint-hearted seamen.
