human
It's getting warm, doctor, he said as we came up.
gpt
What is to be done? I grudge wasting cartridges.
human
Who is at the wheel?
gpt
Blane, sir.
human
That will do. Look here, Hampton, the captain saw to the receiving of the powder and cartridges while I was busy over the other portions of the cargo, and he is too weak to be questioned. You joined the mutiny for a time.
gpt
Never, sir, for no time,
human
Well, you were with the men, and in their confidence.
gpt
Not a bit on it, sir, arksing your pardon. Frenchy never trusted me a mite; only got all the work out of me that he could.
human
Well, well, we will not argue little points, said Mr Brymer, impatiently, as the chopping and firing went on.
gpt
You saw a great deal of what was going on.
human
Yes, sir, heaps; I kep' my eyes open.
gpt
Well, tell me this--what about the powder and weapons? What do you know about them?
human
I'll tell you, sir, said Bob;
gpt
How, man?
human
Answering them shots, sir.
gpt
I would, but my cartridges are nearly all gone. How did you get these?
human
Outer the hold, sir, where they stowed 'em close alongside o' the blasting-powder. There's plenty more.
gpt
Can you get them?
human
Oh yes, sir. You see, before the mutiny began, Jarette set some one, as I heard afterward, to smuggle all the cartridges and weapons he could out of the cabins and from the captain's locker.
gpt
Yes, we found out that had been done. Who did they send?
human
Why, you know, sir.
gpt
Not Mr Walters?
human
If you was to spend all the rest o' your life, sir, making shots at it, you wouldn't never get nigher than that.
gpt
The young scoundrel! Then you know where the cartridges are?
human
Course I do, sir: under the battened down hatches yonder. Frenchy put 'em there himself, and wouldn't let no one go nigh 'em, 'cause the fellows were always smoking. I got down to 'em at night when the storm was coming, as you know, and when you want more, there they are,--yer pistols and guns too.
gpt
Oh, that puts quite a different complexion upon our position, Mr Denning. We can fire as much as we like, cried the mate.
human
But one word more, Hampton. What about the mutineers? Have they a very large supply of ammunition?
gpt
Well, sir, that I can't say. I know Jarette always kep' his pockets jam-full, but I don't know nothing about the others.