"Granger, I want you," said the second mate from the quarter deck.
"Take three hands and make ready the ship's yawl alongside."

In obedience to this, Ralph, with the requisite aid, soon had the large
boat that rested amid-ships, swinging by a painter to the schooner's
side. Mr. Duff then directed two pair of oars, a keg of water and some
cooked provisions and bedding to be placed aboard.

"I want you, Ralph, and you, Ben, to go along."

The Ben to whom the mate alluded was a broadfaced Englishman, who had
been the spokesman on the occasion when Gary had made known to the crew
the object and destination of his voyage. He had expressed himself
once or twice since then unfavorably, to his mates, and had been
rebuked by Long Tom in consequence.

Duff disappeared below, but soon returned with three Winchester rifles
and the same number of cutlasses. He handed one of each to the other
two, saying to Ralph:

"I guess you can shoot, can't you? I hear you mountaineers are hard to
beat with a long rifle."

"I can shoot a squirrel's head off with grandfather's old gun four
times out of five. But this here short, double barreled thing don't
look good for much."

Duff laughed, then briefly explained the purpose of the magazine and
showed him how to work the mechanism. Ralph, though still dubious,