THE BATTLE. 213

their intended mark, and must have seemed more danger-
ous to the helmsman than to the young captain.

Bart and the wounded coolie succeeded in getting hen:
selves under cover, and that they had no firearms appeared
positive, otherwise a fusillade would have been opened.

Ben held possession of this portion of the deck, so far
as preventing any one from coming aft was concerned,
but he had not yet paved the way for himself and his
companions to leave the cabin in safety, since the Manila-
man, sheltered by the foremast, could make it exceedingly
uncomfortable for them.

Ben’s first thought was to rush forward with Bob and
Sam, trusting that there was only one man at the wheel,
and overpower the fellow with the revolver at all hazards.
But almost as soon as this idea came into his mind it was
rejected by the thought that it would be a foolhardy
proceeding.

He would have, in case he finally gained possession of the
deck, only two sailors as able-bodied men, to help work
the vessel, and if one of these should be wounded in the
rush it would be almost impossible to sail the little craft
even so far as Ascension.

Then again, in case he himself should be killed, or so
wounded as to be unable to navigate the brig, the chances
of getting her into port would be very small.

“Tt won’t pay to run any risk, however slight,” he
muttered to himself. “The loss of one man at this time
would be most disastrous, and it is better to spend a few
hours longer on the job than to spoil all by too much