"How about locking my schooner in that blasted lagoon?" growled the master of the _Bertha Hamilton_. "This island is hoodooed, I've half a mind to believe." Next the rifles and revolvers were carefully cleaned and loaded, and the ammunition distributed. "How are we off for cartridges?" Drew asked. "None too well," answered the captain. "If these fellows were sure shots, there'd probably be all we'd need. But they'll waste a lot. I've got several hundred in a box under my berth--and clips for the automatics, too. I certainly wish I'd brought 'em along." "S'pose Ditty's gobbled 'em?" inquired Grimshaw. "I don't think he'd find them. But they're no good to us now," groaned the captain. At this moment Rogers came hurrying up. "They're putting off from the ship," he reported breathlessly. "How many of them?" asked the captain. "Ten in the longboat and seven in the other," was the answer. "Seventeen in all," mused the captain. "I wonder where the rest are." "Probably dead or prisoners," put in Tyke. "The men who wouldn't join him he's likely killed or triced up an' left 'em under guard of one or two of the gang." "That's probably so," agreed the master of the _Bertha Hamilton_. "Well, that reduces the odds somewhat; but they're heavy enough just the same. We'll have action now 'most any time." They had been so excited and absorbed in their preparations that they had not thought of food. Now the captain insisted upon their eating what Wah Lee had put up for them that morning. But he portioned out water from the cask very sparingly. Another hour passed, and still they heard no tread of approaching feet. It would soon be dark. But suddenly they were startled when a voice hailed them. It came from the direction of a big ceiba tree a hundred yards down the forest path. "Ahoy, there!" "Ahoy, yourself!" shouted back the captain. A stick was thrust from behind the tree. A white cloth was tied to the end of it. "This is Ditty talkin'," came the voice. "I know it is, you scoundrel," roared the captain. "No hard words, Cap'n," came the answer. "It'll only be the worse for you. I want to have a confab with you." "Come along then and say your say," replied Captain Hamilton. "You won't shoot?" "Not you," promised the captain. "I hope to see you hung later on." "No tricks, now," said Ditty cautiously "I said I wouldn't and that's enough," responded the captain. "You can take it or leave it." The mate emerged fully from behind the tree and came into the open space. At fifty paces from the fortress he halted. "There's guns coverin' you from behind them trees, if anything happens to me," he said in further warning. "I don't wonder you think that every man's a liar, Ditty," the captain replied bitterly. "You judge them out of your own black heart. Now, what do you want? Why have you seized my ship? Why have you killed one of my men?"