water. This became more marked each instant, till a steel disc with
glass eyes that shone in the light of the sun rose above the water.
It was about the size of a beehive, and was shaped like one. It made
a straight line for the aft of the yacht. At the same moment, in
obedience to some command, given so quietly that I did not hear it,
the men went below--all save some few, who began to open out doors in
the port side of the wheel-house. The tackle was run out through an
opened gangway on that side, and a man stood on the great hook at the
lower end, balancing himself by hanging on the chain. In a few
seconds he came up again. The chain tightened and the great grey
crab rose over the edge of the deck, and was drawn into the wheel-
house, the doors of which were closed, shutting in a few only of the
men.

I waited, quite quiet. After a space of a few minutes, Captain Rooke
in his uniform walked out of the wheel-house. He entered a small
boat, which had been in the meantime lowered for the purpose, and was
rowed to the steps on the mole. Ascending these, he came directly
towards the signal-tower. When he had ascended and stood beside me,
he saluted.

"Well?" I asked.

"All well, sir," he answered. "We shan't have any more trouble with
that lot, I think. You warned that pirate--I wish he had been in
truth a clean, honest, straightforward pirate, instead of the measly
Turkish swab he was--that something might occur before the first
stroke of six bells. Well, something has occurred, and for him and
all his crew that six bells will never sound. So the Lord fights for
the Cross against the Crescent! Bismillah. Amen!" He said this in