"Not a bit, sir," was the reply. "We Englishmen are not so fond of using shooting-irons as you Yankees are. As to danger? Well, yes, there will be a bit for the lads if they really do begin to play the tune called mu-ti-nee. For there'll be a few eyes closed up and swelled lips. Lynton's a very hard hitter, and when I do use my fists it generally hurts. Good three years, though, since I hit a man. He was a bit of a mutineer too: an ugly mulatto chap, full of fine airs, and given to telling me he wouldn't obey orders, and before the crew. I did hit him--hard." "Right into the middle of next week, skipper?" said Briscoe, laughing. "No, but right overboard," said the captain, "and one of the men threw a noose about his neck and pulled it tight, bringing him alongside. There he was between drowning and hanging when I looked over the bows at him. `Now, young fellow,' I says, `what's it to be: obey orders or no?' `Oh, captain, captain,' he whines, `take me aboard.' `Climb up by the bobstay,' I said. He wasn't long coming aboard, and I kept an eye on him, half-expecting to see him come at me with his knife; but, bless you, no: he was showing his teeth at me an hour after in a real smile, and he seemed to feel a sort of respect for me all the rest of the voyage." "Then I hope you will be as successful with these men, captain," said Brace. "Oh, we'll try, Mr Brace: we'll try. Well, there's nothing to mind to-night, gentlemen, so we may as well have our sleep out." "Sleep?" said Brace. "What! with the men in a state of mutiny?" "Pah!" ejaculated the captain. "Hallo! who's here?" "Me--Dellow," said the first mate, in a hoarse whisper. "Lynton's here too. Is anything wrong?" "Yes," said the captain, and the two mates were made acquainted with the trouble. "Oh, that'll be all right, gentlemen," said the first mate quietly. "I was afraid it was Indians and poisoned arrows. You can't reason with them: you can with our lads. Lynton here is a wonderful arguer if there's any trouble there, eh?" Lynton laughed softly, and in obedience to the captain's request all took their places again about the fire, to lie listening till the men returned, when, to Brace's great surprise, next morning at sunrise he found himself being shaken by his brother, and ready to ask whether the events of the night had been another dream. CHAPTER THIRTY. FRYING-PAN TO FIRE. A good breakfast was eaten upon that eventful morning, Dan having plenty of materials for producing a capital meal, and, to judge from appearances, the men were quite ready to settle down to their tasks again, as they made no sign. Brace had hard work to keep from casting uneasy glances at them, but he did pretty well, joining in the chat over the meal, and listening to a yarn from the captain about how he had traced out the deep channel years before in just such a shallow river as this, and how he was going to find one now.