"I always felt that there was something wrong--always. Bear me witness that I did, Pugh, and yet I could not tell what it was." "You did," said Dutch, who was listening intently. "But this is no time for talking," cried Mr Parkley excitedly. "The scoundrel! the villain! to outdo us like this; and at such a time, when we have just succeeded in getting the treasure. Only to think of it, we have been working like this for him." "It has not come to that yet," said Dutch, quietly, and his voice sounded strangely in the dark. "We are fastened down here, of course, Studwick?" "Yes, I have tried hard, but they have secured us," said the captain. "How many are we here?" said Dutch. "Don't talk like that, Mr Pugh," said Wilson, the naturalist. "You never mean to fight." "Englishmen always mean to fight, Mr Wilson," said Dutch, sternly, "when there are women to protect." "That was well said," exclaimed a voice from the far end of the little saloon. "I wish I was a strong, hearty man like you." "I wish so too, my boy," said Captain Studwick between his teeth. "Poor lad, his soul is strong if his body is weak." "Answer to your names, you who are here," said Dutch; and in return he repeated those of the captain, Mr Parkley, the doctor, naturalist, and John Studwick. "The ladies, I know, are here," he added. "Would to heaven they were not!" muttered the doctor. "There's more here nor you've called over," said a gruff voice. "That's Rasp," cried Mr Parkley eagerly. "Yes, and there's a couple o' sailors here too," said the old fellow, "on'y they've lost their tongues." "Who are they?" asked the captain, sharply. "Here's Dick Rolls here, capen," said a rough voice. "And who is that speaking?" said the captain. "Robert Lennie, your honour," was the reply. "The two men I suspected," whispered the captain to Dutch. "We've been on the wrong scent throughout." "Miss Studwick had better go with my wife into the forecabin," said Dutch; and his lips trembled as at the words "my wife" he heard a faint sob. Then there was a low rustling noise, and in a moment more all was still. "Now, captain, quickly," said Dutch; "had you not better serve out the arms?" "They would have been served out before now, Pugh," was the reply, "if we had had them." "You don't mean," gasped Dutch, as he recollected missing his own pistol from its shelf in the little cabin. "I mean that while our minds have been fixed on the silver," said the captain bitterly, "sharper brains than ours have been dead on seizing the golden opportunities. I have searched and there is not a weapon left."