The gunner brought one of the rifles for inspection. As Gerald had already noted it differed little from the Lee-Enfield type. "The magazine takes a clip of ten rounds of .202 ammunition," announced Captain Brookes, as he pulled out the "cut-off" and thrust a cartridge into the chamber. "Now, listen." Bringing the rifle to his shoulder the captain pressed the trigger. Beyond the slight recoil and a faint hiss there was nothing to indicate that the weapon had been discharged, until the still-smoking cartridge-case was ejected. "I am applying this principle to all our ordnance, from the 6in. down to the revolver. It means a great moral advantage to be in a position to launch a hail of charged shells with a complete absence of sound," continued the captain, as he handed back the weapon. "Now we will----" "Sail-ho!" came a hail from the bridge. "Where away?" demanded the captain, in stentorian tones. "Dead ahead, sir." "That's the _Puma_, I'll be bound. Mr. Tregarthen, we must postpone the remainder of our inspection for awhile. In the meantime you'll find Mr. Stockton in your cabin. You may inform him that he has the run of the ship, with the exception, of course, of the conning-tower." So saying, Captain Brookes hurried off to the bridge, the speed of the _Olive Branch_ was reduced to less than twenty knots, and preparations were begun for opening communications with the _Puma_, which was already within five miles when Tregarthen went below to rejoin his companion. "It's settled, Jack; you are to stay aboard the _Olive Branch_," he exclaimed. "Yes, I know, thanks to you. They've told me that I'm to share your cabin." "How did you know that?" asked Gerald. "Captain Brookes agreed to my proposal, and ever since then he has not been out of my sight." "I don't know; I'm here, and there's an end of it as far as I am concerned," replied Jack, philosophically. "Well, let's go on deck. We've sighted some vessel or the other." "What's the game--piracy?" asked Stockton, suspiciously. "I don't think so. But we're easing down, so look sharp." Together the two chums gained the quarterdeck, the sentry on the half deck coming to the salute as Tregarthen passed. Here, again, Gerald was puzzled, for the man evidently was aware that the young lieutenant was no longer under arrest but had nominally become an officer of the ship. The _Olive Branch_ and the _Puma_ lay side by side at about a cable's length apart. There was a total absence of wind, and the sea was as smooth as glass, while overhead the sun beat fiercely down upon the mirror-like surface of the ocean. On the _Olive Branch_ the bo'sun's mate had piped "Clear lower deck," and already the somewhat meagre crew had mustered on the upper deck, where warps and hawsers were being laid out with the evident intention of making fast to the other vessel.