Part 24 (2/2)
Her eye was sparkling and her lips open for an answer, but the words were never spoken. For at that instant a man burst past us with blood streaming down his face from a ghastly cut in the forehead. He was making for the bridge.
”It's come,” I said, rising and drawing my revolver.
”I must go to Auntie,” Evelyn said, very white about the lips.
”Not now. She's perfectly safe. They won't trouble her till they have won the s.h.i.+p.”
”And there will be some merry times before then, I expect,” said Tom, his hand on the b.u.t.t of a revolver and his vigilant eye sweeping the deck.
We were hurrying forward to the wheelhouse. Every moment I expected to see a rush of men tearing up the companionway, but all seemed quiet and orderly. The hands on deck either had not noticed Dugan, or else were awaiting developments.
”'Twas Caine did it, sir,” Dugan explained to Blythe. ”I was lying in my bunk when he came down with the stowaway you were holding prisoner.”
”With Bothwell?” I cried.
”Yes, sir. They asked me to join them in taking the s.h.i.+p. They put it plain they meant to get the treasure.”
”Do you know which of the men is with them?” I asked.
”No, sir. Soon as I got the drift of what they were at I let Caine have my fist in his dirty mouth. He came at me with a cutlas. I got this cut before I could break away. Gallagher tried to head me, but I bowled him over.”
”Do you know how Bothwell escaped?”
”Caine helped him. I heard Tot Dennis say that Mr. Mott had got his.
That was just before they spoke to me.”
Evelyn sat down quickly. I think she wanted to faint. She too understood what was meant by the words that Mott had ”got his.”
”What about Alderson? Are you sure he can be trusted?” Blythe asked of the sailor.
”Yes, sir. I can speak for him and for Smith.”
Alderson was on deck and I called him to us. He was a clean-cut seamanly fellow of about thirty. His blue eyes were frank and self-reliant.
”My man, there's mutiny aboard. That's the short of it. Are you for us or against us?”
”I'm for you, sir.”
”Good. We're going to beat the scoundrels, but there is going to be fighting.”
”Yes, sir.”
”Bully for you!” cried Yeager, and slapped him on the back. ”Can you shoot?”
”Not especially well, sir.”
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