Page:At the Fall of Port Arthur.djvu/86

68 "Oh!" spluttered Wilbur, but that was as far as he got.

"Not a word! Not a sound, Wilbur!" said Captain Ponsberry, earnestly.

The sailor understood, and being a craven at heart he almost collapsed. It was an easy matter to take one of the old ropes and tie his hands behind him. Then Captain Ponsberry confronted the mutineer, making a liberal exhibition of his pistol as he did so.

"Wilbur, answer me truthfully," said the master of the Columbia. "Are you all in this mutiny or not? Don't speak above a whisper."

"I ain't in it!" whined Wilbur. "They dragged me in, they did. I ain't kicking about grub, or nothing!"

"Are all the others in it?"

"Kind of, yes. Groot didn't care much to go in. Guess he wish he was out of it now."

"What has become of Grandon and Vincent?"

"Both of 'em are prisoners in the brig."

"Are they wounded?"

"Not much. Grandon had his thumb cut and Vincent got a kick in the back that lamed him."

"Is anybody guarding them?"

"I guess not. All of 'em have got to drinking again. Say, captain, let me out of this fix and I'll