Just then his guess was confirmed by four double strokes
of the bell. There would be a change of guards. Perhaps the next man
would not be so unsuspecting.
Just then Madden observed another deck gang coming up the promenade. He
wondered how often they scrubbed deck on this vessel. He hoped this crew
would soon pass, as it would make escape impossible if their men made a
break while the sweepers were in hearing. Their slow approach made him
nervous. Suppose one of them suspected something wrong?
Just then Caradoc yawned and cleared his throat. Madden looked around at
his friend with a slight start. The Englishman did not see the
approaching sailors. Madden frowned conspicuously, but Smith's long face
was placid, and he cleared his throat again.
The guard was now about to pass Madden. The American shifted his legs
slightly for a position to jump, nevertheless frowning warningly at
Caradoc. The scrubbers were fairly close now. Caradoc arose negligently
and coughed.
In the teeth of the scrub gang, Madden leaped headlong at the guard and
his fingers gripped the man's throat. At the same instant, Caradoc
ducked under his legs. As the foremost of the scrub gang wrenched the
rifle from the guard's hands, Madden saw with joy that they were Malone
and his men.
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