What would have happened had Skipper Simms completed
the threatening maneuver he had undertaken can never be
known, for at this moment Theriere pushed his way through
the circle of men who were interested spectators of the
impending tragedy.
"What's up, sir?" he asked of Simms. "Anything that I can
help you with?"
"Oh!" exclaimed the skipper; "so you ain't dead after all,
eh? Well that don't change the looks of things a mite. We
gotta get that man outa there an' these flea-bitten imitations of
men ain't got the guts to go in after him."
"He's got your gun, sir," spoke up Wison, "an' Gawd
knows he be the one as'ud on'y be too glad for the chanct to
use it."
"Let me see if I can't handle him, sir," said Theriere to
Skipper Simms. "We don't want to lose any men if we can
help it."
The skipper was only too glad to welcome this unexpected
rescue from the predicament in which he had placed himself.
How Theriere was to accomplish the subjugation of the mutinous
sailor he could not guess, nor did he care so long as it
was done without risk to his own skin.
"Now if you'll go away, sir," said Theriere, "and order the
men away I'll see what I can do."
Skipper Simms did as Theriere had requested, so that
presently the officer stood alone beside the hatch.
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