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It was Mr Preddle's highly-pitched voice which I heard, and it was the sailor who had sat talking to the steersman who answered, and soon after I heard the chair squeak very loudly, as big Mr Preddle, looking as large as an elephant now, sat down by the boy on the tub, and leaned his head back against the bulwarks.
But we stood back too much for either of them to touch us, as we listened, trying to distinguish the words said, as we pictured, no doubt pretty accurately, what was going on in the forecastle; for a dull groaning told only too plainly that Mr Preddle's shot had taken effect.
"I think differently, sir," said Mr Brymer, coldly. "I agree with Mr Brymer, sir," said Mr Denning, "that it would be madness." "But you agree with me, Mr Preddle?" cried the doctor, excitedly. "No, I don't, Mr Frewen," came in Mr Preddle's high-pitched voice. "I don't like men to suffer, but I won't give my vote for you to go down into that wild beasts' cage."
We stepped out into the saloon, shut our door after us, and stood listening, wondering whether there was a sentry, but all was still, and concluding that all hands were on deck, Mr Frewen unfastened Mr Preddle's door in the black darkness. He came out, and his door was also closed again. "Follow!"
Mr Frewen and I were both too weak and faint from the terrible shock we had had, to do anything that day but lie back and rest, my place being chosen close to the hole I had bored, so that I could be ready to answer Mr Preddle's questions, which were constantly coming, and to listen to his lamentations about his fish about the trouble he had taken, the water which must be drying till, as I lay back there with my ear close to a second hole which I had bored lower down, every now and then from pain, heat, and the consequent faintness, I kept on dropping into a curious half-dreamy state, in which I seemed to be watching Mr Preddle's fish swimming about with their fat little mouths gasping at the surface of the water, and all looking as if they were so many hundreds of tiny Preddles asking me to get them out of prison.
"I'm not armed now," I cried, snatching the revolver I carried from my belt, and laying it on Mr Preddle's chest. "Get up, you miserable, cowardly, treacherous, shamming impostor! I'll give you some physic which will do you more good than the doctor's." As I spoke, I gave him a heavy push with my foot.
No one spoke, and I could not help shivering as I saw the stern looks of the men by me, even Mr Preddle's round smooth face looking fierce and determined. Mr Frewen was the first to open his lips. "It is a bitter necessity," he said; "those men must be kept down, but I am obliged to speak now. Brymer, I am a surgeon, and there are at least two wounded men there below, perhaps more.
As soon as the danger was over I went out, leaving the powder upon Mr Preddle's cot, and told them why I had rushed by. "Oh, come, that's better," said the captain; "we thought you were showing the white feather, boy. So you hooked the powder-bag?" "Yes, there it is," I said. "Ah, well, this is no time for praise," said the captain. "You did your duty well, my lad.
"Along with the other in Mr Preddle's cabin," I said triumphantly, for when the door was open I was down on my knees ready by Mr Frewen's legs, and as he thrust the barrels of his gun against Jarette's side, I snatched at the bag and drew it in. "Take my place, Mr Preddle," said Mr Denning to him, "I must go back to our cabin and speak to my sister. She will be terribly alarmed by the firing."
Our idea was of course to get a board out between the doctor's cabin and Mr Preddle's, and if possible one at the darkest portion of the place close up to the ship's side; but examine as we would, there did not appear to be one that it would be possible to move, try how we would.
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