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260 "It's a lie!" came in the voice of Lesher.

"Of course it's a lie," added Dan Baxter. "They did their best to burn every one of us up."

"It is the truth," cried Dick. "Now stand back, or we shall fire on you."

"Come on!" yelled Lesher, and fired a pistol at those near the mouth of the cave.

"If ever I get the chance to have you tried, every one of you shall be hung for mutiny and murder!" cried Captain Blossom, and then fired in return.

The bullet hit Dan Baxter in the arm, and he fell back with a shriek of pain.

"I am killed! I am killed!" he moaned, and ran down toward the beach.

Then came a volley from the mutineers, followed by one from those in the cave.

"Oh, what a close shave!" muttered Tom. A bullet had grazed his ear, cutting away one of his curly locks.

Lesher was wounded in the shoulder, and in a moment more of the mutineers ran off, feeling that they were at a disadvantage.

"They can see us out in the open, while we can't see them for the rocks and bushes," said one sailor. "Let us wait till morning"; and so it was decided.