Seeing how thoroughly upset I was, the mate told Mr Frewen to speak to
me as soon as he was gone; for he was about to join the men on the watch
by the forecastle-hatch, so as to be ready to take action as soon as
possible after the drug had acted.
"How soon will it be?" he asked Mr Frewen.
"I cannot tell you. I never administered it like this before, only in
small doses as an opiate in cases of intense suffering. It may be soon,
it may be an hour or two. If they have, as we suppose, an ample supply
of spirits and tobacco below, it is possible that they may retard the
action."
"Well," said Mr Brymer, "be ready to come well-armed when I give the
signal--two whistles, mind. I shall call upon you the moment I fancy it
can be done. Hist!--the men."
For the two sailors whom we had made prisoners through their being at
the wheel had been apportioned the duty of taking the steward's place,
that poor fellow having without doubt gone overboard on the night of the
rising; and as Mr Brymer left the cabin, these two quickly and roughly
prepared the table for our mid-day meal, went forward, and brought back
a tureen of soup, with a kind of ragout of the kangaroo's tail from the
tin.
The dinner was just ready, when there was a noise from forward; and we
hurried to the door-way, but it was only to hear a roaring chorus rise
from the forecastle-hatchway.
"They have begun at the spirits," said Mr Frewen. And then telling the
two sailors to ask Mr Brymer to come and join us, the men went forward,
spoke to the mate, and he came to the saloon entrance.
"Better come and join us, Brymer," said Mr Frewen. "You want food: and
we can tell by the cessation of the noise they are making when the time
for action has come."
"Oh, I can't eat, man, at a time like this!" said the mate, excitedly.
"You must, to keep up your strength. Will Miss Denning join us?"
This to Mr Denning, who shook his head.
"No; let her stay in her cabin. She would only be in our way. I will
take her in some dinner."
"You had better keep up appearances, so that the men may not notice
anything. Mr Preddle, help the soup."