The carpenter stepped back behind the rest, and the next moment there rang out a most perfect imitation of the crow of a bantam cock, which was followed by a roaring outburst of merriment from the men. Fitz turned scarlet with rage. "How dare--" he began. "Ahoy! On deck, there!" came faintly from the cabin, followed by a heavy sound of beating and kicking. One of the men made a start aft for the companionway, followed by two more, but Fitz stepped before them. "Stop!" he shouted fiercely. "On deck, there! Do you hear? Open this door!" came from below. "Take no notice," shouted Fitz, "until I give orders. Here, you carpenter; where's the arm-chest?" "Down in the cabin, sir." "No, no; I mean the other one--the men's." "Arn't no nother one, sir. We always goes to the captain's tool-chest when we've got anybody as wants killing, or any job of that kind on hand!" "Ahoy, there!" came from below once more, and then the sharp report of a pistol, a crash, and Poole came bounding up on deck, revolver in hand. Just as he came into sight the skipper's voice was heard distinctly-- "Lay hold of the first mutineer, Poole, and drag him down here." "That's meant for you, Mr Fitz, sir," said the carpenter with a chuckle, and the men roared again. Fitz turned upon him, white as ashes, like an angry dog about to bite. "Silence, you insolent scoundrel!" he shouted. "What's the meaning of this, Burnett?" cried Poole. "This, sir," said the lad haughtily, stepping forward to meet him, laying one hand on his shoulder, and making a desperate snatch at the revolver; "I seize this schooner in the Queen's name. Now, my lads, make this boy your prisoner." Poole clapped the pistol behind him as he shook himself free. "Look here, sir," he cried; "have you gone mad?" "Do you hear, men?" cried Fitz, seizing him again. "Forward! You, Poole, in the Queen's name, surrender!" Not a man stirred, all standing in a group looking on, some wonderingly, some thoroughly amused, while the carpenter whispered-- "All right, lads; let them fight it out. Of all the cheek!" "Did you say, You Poole or You fool?" said the skipper's son quietly; "because one of us seems to be behaving very stupidly. Take your hand off my collar. This pistol's loaded in five chambers, and was in six till I blew the lock off the cabin-door.--Quiet, I tell you, before there's an accident. Why, you must have gone off your head." "Did you hear what I said, men?" shouted Fitz furiously. "In the Queen's name, make this boy your prisoner! Here, you, boatswain, take the lead here and obey my orders." For that individual had just made his appearance on deck. "What's the row, young gentlemen? Here, you, Squire Poole, put away that six-shooter. If you and Mr Fitz here has fell out, none of that tommy-rot nonsense. Use your fists." "Boatswain," cried Fitz haughtily, "I, as an officer, seize this schooner in the Queen's name."