kened
surprise; and from the multitude of voices I could guess that the whole
crew was around the hatchway.

I knocked a third time, to make sure; and then I stood a little to one
side, in anxious and silent expectation.

Presently I heard something rubbing over the hatches. It was the
tarpaulin being removed; and, as soon as this covering was taken off, I
perceived that light shot in through several chinks at the joining of
the planks.

But the next moment the sky suddenly opened above me; and the flood of
light that poured down upon my face, rendered me quite blind. It did
more--it caused me to faint and fall backward against the boxes. I did
not lose consciousness all at once, but swooned gradually away under a
feeling of strange bewilderment.

Just as the hatch was lifted upwards, I noticed a ring of rough heads--
human heads and faces--above the edge, all around the great opening, and
I observed that all of them were drawn suddenly back with an expression
of extreme terror. I heard cries and exclamations that betokened the
same; but the shouts gradually died upon my ears, and the light dimmed
and darkened in my eyes, as I lapsed into a state of unconsciousness, as
complete as if I had been dead.

Of course, I had only swooned; and was insensible to what was passing
around me. I did not see the rough heads as they reappeared over the
edge of the hatch frame, and again reconnoitre me with looks of alarm.
I did not see that one of them at length took courage, and leaped down
upon the top of the cargo, followed by another and then another, until
several stood bending over me, uttering a volley of conjectures and
exclamatory phrases. I did not feel them as they tenderly raised me in
their arms, and kindly felt my pulse, and placed their huge rough hands
over my heart to see whether it was still beating with life--no more did
I feel the big sailor who lifted me up against his breast and held me
there, and then, after a short ladder had been obtained and placed in
the hatchway, carried me up out of the hold and laid me carefully on the
quarter-deck: I heard nothing, I saw nothing, I felt nothing, till a
shock, as if of cold water dashed in my face, once more aroused me from
my trance, and told me that I still lived.

CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE.

THE DENOUEMENT.

When I came to my senses again, I saw that I was lying upon the deck. A
crowd was gathered around, and look in what direction I might, my eyes
reste