Part 26 (1/2)

Rather anxious as to the outco to sleep much, for there were many unusual noises

But he did drop off into a doze, only to be awakened about an hour later by a commotion on deck

”What's up, Ned?” he called to his chu staterooh Hear that thu!”

As Ned spoke there came a tremendous noise fro froun! It has torn loose fros and may roll overboard!”

CHAPTER XXII

AT GATUN LOCKS

”Steady there now, s! Careful! Look out, or you'll be caught by it when she rolls! Another turn around the bitts!”

It was the officer of the deck giving orders to a number of marines and sailors as Tom hastily clad, leaped on deck, followed by his chu worse than ever in the heaving billows, and the iant cannon, which, as To it down on deck

”Coot to help here!”

”That's right Look at her swing, would you? If she hits anything it's a goner!”

The breech of the gun appeared to be the end that had come loose, while the muzzle still held fast And this i the efforts of the shi+p's officers and crew to capture it And it seemed only a question of time when the iant cannon would roll through the frail bulwarks, and plunge into the depths of the sea

”Look out for yourselves, boys!” cried the officer, as he saw Toasped Toot to fasten it down”

”That's e're trying to do,” answered the other ”We did get the bight of a cable over the breech, but the h they took a couple of turns around the bitts”

”Ned, go call Koku!” cried Toht!” declared his chuun straining on it, the giant can I'll get hiasped Ned ”Master's cannonuard the powder I stay here”

”No, I'll stay!” insisted Ned ”You are needed on deck, I'll take your place here”

Koku stared uncoun continued to thuh Then it filtered through the dull brain of honest Koku anted

”I go,” he said, and he hurried up the coer to be with To the powder

Once th of Koku to aid in the work, the task of lashi+ng the gun again to the deck was undertaken A bight of steel cable was gotten around the breech, and then passed to a big bitt, or stanchion, bolted to the deck Koku, working on the heaving deck, amid the hurricane, took a turn around the brace