Bob's rage was so great that his only desire just now was to enforce authority, and he lost no time before beginning the search for weapons. From one state-room to another he went, looking into sea-chests, overhauling boxes, and upsetting drawers; but nothing more deadly than a sail-needle met his eager gaze. As a matter of coarse, there must have been fire-arms on board the brig when she left port; but those who abandoned her had taken everything of the kind with them.
"I can't find so much as a sheath-knife," he said, coming into the saloon where Joe stood revolving this very serious turn of affairs in his mind. "We shall have to trust our fists and anything in the way of a club that can be picked up, for I'm not goin' to let another hour go by without showin' them villains that we intend to hold possession of this craft."
"But we mustn't act until we've formed some plan," Joe replied. "Tell me just what you propose doing, and I'll stand by till the last."
"I'm going to drive them over the side!" Bob cried, passionately.
"Just now they are stronger than our crowd, and it may be a question as to who goes first."
Joe spoke in a matter-of-fact tone; but it could be seen that he was laboring under no less excitement than the sailor; and the latter, beginning to realize the weakness of their position, asked hoarsely:
"What do you think we ought to do?"
"Wait awhile till we see how they're going to act;" and then the engineer ascended the companion-ladder to ascertain the condition of affairs forward.
