"I am trying, sir, if only to be prepared to have a witness against you when the time comes for your punishment." "Oh yes, of course, doctor, we know all about that. This way, sir. Now, boy. Come!" "Good-bye, Captain Berriman," I said, as I leaned over my poor officer and pressed his hand. Then in a whisper--"Cheer up! Perhaps we shall re-take the ship after all." Then I followed the doctor, and a minute later we were once more under lock and key, while as I crossed the saloon I saw that a couple of men were pacing up and down, pistol in hand. I made a remark about this, and then I spoke about the way in which the powder had driven in all the end of the saloon. "I suppose Jarette must have used about all there is now." Mr Frewen shook his head. "Didn't you know?" he said. "There is a large quantity on board. It is being taken--across for blasting purposes in New Zealand. Jarette, I suppose, helped with the lading, and knew where it was stowed. That accounts for its being brought out so soon." "Pity we can't give them a dose of it," I said, "so as to frighten them into better order. Just fancy, Mr Frewen, dropping a bagful into the forecastle with a fuse attached and lit; how they would run for the hatch, and before they could reach it--bang!" "Yes, with that part of the deck blown up and a dozen or so of wretched mutilated creatures lying about shrieking for help. Well, Dale, I dare say there is one of the bags somewhere about the cabins, but I don't think you could use it." "Well, now you talk like that, I don't think I should like to," I said. "I am sure you would not, boy. You and I could not fight that way. We must have a better way than that." We lay there trying to think out some plan for the rest of that day, sometimes talking to ourselves, sometimes with Mr Preddle joining in; but for the most part he could talk about nothing else but his own troubles, and about his fish, which he was sure were dying off rapidly, for no one, he said, could attend to them like he would himself. "Unless it was you, Dale," he whispered apologetically. "You certainly did seem to understand them almost as well as I did myself. Ah, I'd give almost anything to be out there attending to the poor little things, but I could not go at the cost that was proposed." He sighed very deeply, drew back, and the little hole was darkened directly after, for Mr Preddle had lain down to meditate upon the sufferings of his fish, and when I peeped through at him a few minutes later he was still meditating with his eyes shut and his mouth open, while a peculiar sound came at regular intervals from between his lips. Mr Frewen looked at me inquiringly as I turned round. "Sound asleep," I whispered. "Poor Mr Preddle," said Mr Frewen, "he is a very good amiable fellow, but I think that you and I must make our plans, Dale, and call upon him to help when all is ready."