He thought that the men were unusually quiet, and taking his blanket--for although some of the soldiers slept in hammocks, the majority lay on the deck wrapped in their blankets--he lay down by the side of a gun whose port had been opened to admit air between decks.

After thinking the matter over for some time, and wondering what would be the end of it, he dropped off into a light sleep.
Presently he was aroused by a confused sound.

Looking round cautiously, he saw by the dim light of the lantern that most of the men were on their feet.

Some of them were taking down their firearms from the arm racks; small groups were stooping over some of the sleeping figures; and to the mast, close to which one of the lanterns hung, two or three men were bound, and two soldiers with pikes were standing by them.

The crisis, then, had come, and Jack at once proceeded to carry out the plan he had thought out after he lay down.
Very quietly he crawled out through the porthole, and then raised himself and stood on the muzzle of the gun.