everal times. Still there was no
answer. They themselves were almost stifled with the heat of the
atmosphere and the odour of the rotting tobacco and monkey-skins. "This
will never do," exclaimed Adair, becoming more and more alarmed for
Murray's safety. "We must force the hatches off, or break our way
through the skylight." They groped about and found a handspike which
had been chucked down below. "Now, lads. Heave he!" cried Adair, and
getting the end under the skylight, with a loud crash they prized it
off, and one after the other sprang on deck. There stood Murray lashed
to the helm, and looking more like a man in a trance than one awake.

"Hillo, where am I?" he exclaimed, gazing wildly around.

"On the deck of the _Venus_, old fellow," answered Terence, taking him
by the hand. "Right gallantly you steered us through the gale, and as
soon as it fell calm you dropped asleep, and small blame to you. We did
the same below, and I cannot tell you how glad I am to see you safe: we
all thought you had fallen overboard." Murray was very much surprised
to find that he had slept so long and so soundly, but he soon gave
evidence that he had not had enough rest, for Adair had a mattress
brought up and stretched under an awning on deck, and the moment he
placed his head on it he was off again as soundly as before.

"We must turn to at the pumps, sir," observed Needham, coming from
below. "If we don't bear a hand, I fear the craft will sink under us."
Such it appeared would probably be the case, but no one was daunted.
All set to work and laboured away as manfully as before. When Murray
awoke he found that the schooner was again almost cleared of water. The
last man to leave the pumps was Wasser. He was still labouring away,
when down he sank on the deck. Murray and Adair ran to lift him up. He
could scarcely open his eyes, and looked thoroughly worn out. They
lifted the poor fellow to the mattress from which Murray had just risen,
and as soon as the fire, which had gone out, could be lighted, they made
some beef broth, which they poured down his throat. They also gave him
a little rum. Alick and Terence differed as to which was the best
restorative, but, unlike doctors in general, they agreed to administer
them alternately. Paddy wanted to give them in equal proportions--that
is to say, for every cup of broth Alick gave, he wanted to give a glass
of grog; but fortunately to this arrangement Murray would no