Captain Abe replied by booting the saucepan from the fellow's hands and throwing most of its contents into the grumbler's face. That started what soon developed into a serious affray, and how far matters would have gone remained questionable. The appearance of the _Titania_, which the mutineers mistook for a Government patrol-boat (of which some were yet employed on mine-sweeping work in the Mediterranean), rather took the wind out of their sails. Villiers called the Yankee skipper aside. "Look here," he said, "I don't quite know what you want me to do." "Put the varmints into irons, I guess," suggested Captain Abe. "Then who'll work the ship?" asked Jack. "There is bad weather coming, judging by the glass and the look of things. Short-handed, you'll be in a jolly tight corner. Those fellows have a grievance, although they were in the wrong to kick up a shindy. I can't lend you any hands, so what are you going to do?" "Dashed if I know," admitted Captain Abe, in perplexity. "Say, what would you?" "You've been at sea a jolly sight longer than I have, I should say," continued Villiers. "So it seems like teaching my grandmother to tell you how to handle men. Meet them half-way. If you've a grievance and they have one, there's always the Consular Courts to appeal to. That's better than jumping round the deck with sheath-knives and revolvers." "Guess you're about right," considered Captain Abe. "Just you sound 'em for me, young man. For my part, I'm willin'." Villiers went for'ard. In five minutes he had "talked over" the crew. They, too, were willing to carry on as before, on the understanding that a competent cook was shipped at the next port they touched. Jack, proud of his moral victory, shook hands with the Yankee skipper and the two mates, and returned to the _Titania_. "It's all right, now, sir," he reported. "They're carrying on." At that moment the _Titania_, forging slowly ahead, was passing under the stern and within half a cable's length of the becalmed _Lucy M. Partington_. The latter's skipper caught sight of Pete sitting contentedly on the cat-head. His eyes opened in utter amazement. "Pete!" he hailed. "Come you back!" The nigger shook his woolly head. "You kick me out, Cap'n Abe!" he reminded him. "Fifty dollars, Pete, if you swim for it," almost implored the Yankee, finding as he thought an easy solution to the present difficulty. Pete's head shook until his teeth almost rattled in his capacious jaws. "Dere's no leather sea-boots with nails in 'em on dis vessel," he replied. "Only indy-rubber. 'Specks I know where dis nigger am comf'ble." Then, using an expression that he had picked up from his new acquaintances on the _Titania_, he added: "Cheerio, you deah, priceless ole thing!" CHAPTER XIII Advice and Bluff "No, no, boy. Not 'la silence' but 'le silence'." "But, sir," protested the boy, "it's according to rule; it ends in a silent 'e'."