"What the devil are you up to?" thundered the skipper. "Have you all
gone mad? What does it all mean?"
"It means," said one of the seamen, whose fat, amiable face was marred
by a fearful scowl, "that we've got a new skipper."
"Good heavens, a mutiny!" exclaimed the skipper, starting
melodramatically against the cage, and starting hastily away again.
"Where's the mate?"
"He's with us," said another seaman, brandishing his sheath knife, and
scowling fearfully. "He's our new captain."
In confirmation of this the mate now appeared from below with an axe in
his hand, and, approaching his captain, roughly ordered him below.
"I'll defend this lady with my life," cried Hezekiah, taking the
handspike from Kate, and raising it above his head.
"Nobody'll hurt a hair of her beautiful head," said the mate, with a
tender smile.
"Then I yield," said the skipper, drawing himself up, and delivering the
handspike with the air of a defeated admiral tendering his sword.
"Good," said the mate briefly, as one of the men took it.
"What!" demanded Miss Rumbolt excitedly, "aren't you going to fight
them? Here, give me the handspike."
Before the mate could interfere, the sailor, with thoughtless obedience,
handed it over, and Miss Rumbolt at once tried to knock him over the
head.
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