“What is all over? What have you been doing?” asked the lady, hardly able to speak in the violence of her emotion. “You can see that Scoble is in irons, and it is not possible for him to harm you or me just now,” replied Louis. “In irons? What does that mean?” “He has a pair of handcuffs, which he brought out for me, on his wrists.” “But what are you going to do with him, my son?” asked the lady, who seemed to be hardly less terrified now than before. “I don’t know yet, mother: we have not decided what to do, though of course we shall get back to the Park as soon as possible. We have disposed of Scoble for the present, and we shall soon ascertain what we shall do next. What makes you tremble so, mother? You have nothing to alarm you now.” “I am afraid you will get hurt, Louis.” “But you need not be afraid, for there are three of us, and Captain Ringgold is a match for any two of the men on board of the Maud. Flix and I are not ciphers, and we can manage the matter very well, I assure you. I have no idea of being conveyed to England, or of permitting you to be conveyed there. I hope and expect you will be at the Park some time this evening. Now be a good mother, and go into your stateroom again, and keep very quiet there.” “But what are you going to do, my son?” demanded Mrs. Belgrave, still filled with terror and anxiety. “I don’t know yet. We have fought the battle in the cabin, and won the victory, and that practically settles the whole matter. Scoble can do none of us any harm now.” “But he and his men may be armed with pistols; and I am confident he would shoot you if you resisted him.” “You forget, mother, that I took his revolvers from his room, and I have given them to Captain Ringgold, who has them in his pockets at this moment. Our party are all armed, though I hope we shall not be compelled to use our weapons. Now come to your room, and as soon as we have decided what to do, I will see you and tell you all about it,” said Louis, as he took the arm of Mrs. Belgrave and conducted her to her room. “Now lock the door, and lie down in your berth. Make yourself as comfortable as you can, for this state of things cannot last much longer.” She went into the stateroom, though she was plainly very reluctant to do so. Nervous and timid as she was, she would have thrown herself physically into any affray in which the safety of her son was menaced. In the presence of Scoble she had manifested a courage and determination, which were a revelation to Louis. She was disposed to protect her son by the sacrifice of herself.