“But what an unholy lot of weapons,” he soliloquized on his way back to Johnny.  “An’ they’re all second-hand.  Cannons, too—­an’ machetes!” he exclaimed, suddenly understanding.  “Jumping Jerusalem!—­a filibustering expedition bound for Cuba, or one of them wildcat republics down south!  Oh, ho, my friends; I see where you have bit off more’n you can chew.”  In his haste to impart the joyous news to his companion, he barked his shins shamefully.

“‘Way down south in the land o’ cotton, cinnamon seed an’’—­whoa, blast you!” and Hopalong stuck his head through the opening in the partition and grinned.  “Heard you shoot, Kid; I reckoned you might need me—­an’ these!” he finished, looking fondly upon the weapons as he shoved them into the forecastle.

Johnny groaned and held his stomach, but his eyes lighted up when he saw the guns, and he eagerly took one of each kind, a faint smile wreathing his lips.  “Now we’ll show these water snakes what kind of men they stole,” he threatened.

Up on the deck the choleric captain still stamped and swore, and his crew, with well-concealed mirth, went about their various duties as if they were accustomed to have shanghaied men act this way.  They sympathized with the unfortunate pair, realizing how they themselves would feel if shanghaied to break broncos.

Hogan, A. B., stated the feelings of his companions very well in his remarks to the men who worked alongside:  “In me hear-rt I’m dommed glad av it, Yensen.  I hope they bate the old man at his own game.  ’T is a shame in these days for honest men to be took in that unlawful way.  I’ve heard me father tell of the press gangs on the other side, an’ ’t is small business.”

Yensen looked up to reply, chanced to glance aft, and dropped his calking iron in his astonishment.  “Yumping Yimminy!  Luk at dat fallar!”

Hogan looked.  “The deuce!  That’s a man after me own heat-rt!  Kape yore pagan mouth shut!  If ye take a hand agin ’em I’ll swab up the deck wid yez.  G’wan wor-rking like a sane man, ye ijit!”

“Ay ent ban fight wit dat fallar!  Luk at the gun!”

A man had climbed out of the after hatch and was walking rapidly towards them, a rifle in his hands, while at his thigh swung a Colt.  He watched the two seamen closely and caught sight of Hogan’s twinkling blue eyes, and a smile quivered about his mouth.  Hogan shut and opened one eye and went on working.

As soon as Hopalong caught sight of the captain, the rifle went up and he announced his presence without loss of time.  “Throw up yore hands, you pole-cat!  I’m running this ranch from now on!”

The captain wheeled with a jerk and his mouth opened, and then clicked shut as he started forward, his rage acting galvanically.  But he stopped quickly enough when he looked down the barrel of the Winchester and glared at the cool man behind it.

“What the blank are you doing?” he yelled.