Seeing how thoroughly upset I was, the mate told Mr Frewen to speak to me as soon as he was gone; for he was about to join the men on the watch by the forecastle-hatch, so as to be ready to take action as soon as possible after the drug had acted. "How soon will it be?" he asked Mr Frewen. "I cannot tell you. I never administered it like this before, only in small doses as an opiate in cases of intense suffering. It may be soon, it may be an hour or two. If they have, as we suppose, an ample supply of spirits and tobacco below, it is possible that they may retard the action." "Well," said Mr Brymer, "be ready to come well-armed when I give the signal--two whistles, mind. I shall call upon you the moment I fancy it can be done. Hist!--the men." For the two sailors whom we had made prisoners through their being at the wheel had been apportioned the duty of taking the steward's place, that poor fellow having without doubt gone overboard on the night of the rising; and as Mr Brymer left the cabin, these two quickly and roughly prepared the table for our mid-day meal, went forward, and brought back a tureen of soup, with a kind of ragout of the kangaroo's tail from the tin. The dinner was just ready, when there was a noise from forward; and we hurried to the door-way, but it was only to hear a roaring chorus rise from the forecastle-hatchway. "They have begun at the spirits," said Mr Frewen. And then telling the two sailors to ask Mr Brymer to come and join us, the men went forward, spoke to the mate, and he came to the saloon entrance. "Better come and join us, Brymer," said Mr Frewen. "You want food: and we can tell by the cessation of the noise they are making when the time for action has come." "Oh, I can't eat, man, at a time like this!" said the mate, excitedly. "You must, to keep up your strength. Will Miss Denning join us?" This to Mr Denning, who shook his head. "No; let her stay in her cabin. She would only be in our way. I will take her in some dinner." "You had better keep up appearances, so that the men may not notice anything. Mr Preddle, help the soup." I shuddered, and every one turned pale. "Oh, there is no risk," said the mate quickly. "But here, make the plates and spoons look as if they had been used, and then throw all the soup out of the stern-window." I brightened a little at hearing this, for the possibility of the cook having made a mistake was always before my eyes. So after satisfying ourselves that the men were not likely to return yet, I was one of the busiest in dirtying the plates and spoons, and ended by emptying the soup from the window with a feeling of the most intense relief. "Will it send the fishes to sleep, Mr Frewen?" I whispered, as I placed the empty tureen back in its place. "Bad for them if it does," he said, with an attempt at looking merry. "For their enemies are safe to swallow them while they are napping." "With both eyes open," said Mr Preddle.