“No clubs,” added Shakings, when he saw the steward pick up a coal-breaker. “We don’t want any weapons. We can bring them to their senses quicker without breaking any of their bones; and we want to use them, not kill them.” The Prince liked this argument, and warmly seconded it. The boatswain of the Josephine was the self-constituted leader of the party, possibly because there was more fight in him than in any other. He made a spring at Alfonzo, who was armed with a hammer used in breaking coal. He clinched with the fellow, to whom the weapon in his hand was rather an incumbrance than otherwise. As he raised it to strike his assailant, Shakings seized him by the arm. A sharp struggle ensued; but the stalwart tar was too much for his opponent, and in a moment he had thrown him to the floor, and put his foot upon him. The Prince pitched into the Frenchman who had struck him before. He wrenched a shovel out of his hands, and then threw him down. Observing how the boatswain handled his man, he followed his example, holding the rascal down with his foot, while he menaced him with the shovel if he attempted to use his hands. Rimmer was slower and clumsier than the boatswain, but he succeeded in taking down one of the smallest of the Italians. Raymond did not scruple to tackle another; and so quick were his movements, that his man was down almost as soon as the leader of the firemen. All the others went for the remaining two of the foreigners; and they were soon _hors de combat_. The prestige seemed to be with the Americans from the beginning. It was a very striking spectacle, even after all the hitting had been done, to see six men held down on the floor. Tom Speers had fought like a tiger with a Frenchman he had tackled alone in the beginning of the affray; and, though O’Hara came to his aid, it was not till he had nearly overcome his foe. “What shall we do with them?” asked the Prince, as soon as he could obtain breath enough to speak. “Who hasn’t his hands full?” demanded the boatswain. “I haven’t,” replied the captain. “Then have rope enough sent down to tie these fellows hand and foot, if you please, captain,” added Shakings. But all the watch except the quartermaster and the seaman at the wheel had heard the noise of the conflict, and had secured positions where they could see what was going on in the hold. As soon as they heard the call of Shakings, they gathered up all the spare line they could find about the deck and in the lockers, and threw it down into the fire-room. O’Hara passed them to the victors in the conflict, and each secured his own man. The battle was ended, and the victory won. “Do you want wine now, you villains?” said the Prince when the conquest was completed. “But we are pretty much out of firemen,” added the captain, as he looked at the mutineers, made fast to the stanchions and other parts of the vessel. “I am willing to take my turn at the shovels,” replied the Prince.