Meantime the officers were moving fairly freely about the ship, under cover of revolvers, and order to get information got on friendly, talkative terms with the pirates, They learned that there were about 40 engaged in the work and that they had been preparing for the coup for months und had sunk, $8,000 in the venture. They knew the ship regularly carried bullion and was scheduled to carry some that trip, and were disappointed at not finding any.
Among themselves, and taking the lady passenger into their confidence, the officers decided to make bid to regain contivl of the ship. The opportunity came through the anxtoty of the pirates superintending: the navigation to pick up Chuang Point, their landmark for Bias Bay. The Point loomed up dimly and the Second Officer pointed it out to the pirates. In their endeavour to sce the land they were temporarily caught off their guard and Captain Pringle seized the opportunity to] jous with the handy deep sea sounding lead. The two officers secured the pirates' weapons and 150 rounds of ain-munition, and with this scanty means of defence they proceeded to hold the bridge against all attacks.
About a dozen pirates got away in the boats from the poop davits, taking all their booty and, it is be-Tieved, the passenger, Mr. H.W. Lapeley, who had been acting as i terpreter between the parties.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.