78 THE BOY CAPTAIN.

merrily in the ratchets as they ran the drum around, Ben
assisting with a bar, while holding his weapon in one hand,
as Eliphalet, in a feeble sort of way, attempted to draw
the slack cable into shape.

In the still air the clinking of the metal must have
been heard distinctly on shore, and Miss Dunham, from
her point of vantage, shouted :

“They are coming out from among the foliage in
_ greater numbers now, and it looks as if they were
getting ready to put off.”

By this time the anchor was clear of the bottom, and
after two or three fathoms more of the chain had been
brought inboard, Ben ordered his unwilling crew into the
fore-rigging, accelerating their movements decidedly by
the flourish of his revolver, as he cried:

“Loose the foretopsail, and do it lively there! Let me
catch you skulking for a single moment, or making any
motion to those fellows on shore, and I'll send something
after you that won’t be pleasant. Get hold of the jib
halliards, Eliphalet, and lay down on them the best you
know how!”

The Chinamen clambered up the rigging with the same
celerity of movement they had shown in going forward,
and Ben laid hold of the halliards, swaying down on the
ropes as he kept his eyes fixed on the prisoners, Eliph-
alet adding his feeble strength to the work.

It was not to be expected the two could hoist the heavy
canvas into position, for the steward was not much bet-
ter than a boy at such work ; but sufficient of the sail was