s, while he placed his feet against the gun; the
next moment, he was hanging perpendicularly beneath the main-chains. To
drop lightly and noiselessly into the boat, took but a second. When his
feet touched a thwart, he found that the American was there before him.
The latter dragged him down to his side, and the two lay concealed in
the bottom of the yawl, with a cloak of Ghita's thrown over their
persons. Carlo Giuntotardi was accustomed to the management of a craft
like that in which he now found himself, and simply releasing his
boat-hook from one of the chains, the ship passed slowly ahead, leaving
him, in about a minute, fairly in her wake, a hundred feet astern.

So far, everything had succeeded surprisingly. The night was so dark as
to embolden the two fugitives now to rise, and take their seats on the
thwarts; though all this was done with exceeding caution, and without
the least noise. The oars were soon out, Carlo took the tiller, and a
feeling of exultation glowed at the heart of Raoul, as he bent to his
ashen implement, and felt the boat quiver with the impulse.

"Take it coolly, Captain Rule," said Ithuel in a low voice; "it's a long
pull, and we are still within ear-shot of the frigate. In five minutes
more we shall be dropped so far as to be beyond sight; then we may pull
directly out to sea, if we wish."

Just then the bell of the Proserpine struck four; the signal it was
eight o'clock. Immediately after, the watch was called, and a stir
succeeded in the ship.

"They only turn the hands up," said Raoul, who perceived that his
companion paused, like one uneasy.

"That is an uncommon movement for shifting the watch! What is _that_?"

It was clearly the overhauling of tackles; the plash of a boat, as it
struck the water, followed.

CHAPTER XXIV.

"Our dangers and delights are near allies;
From the same stem the rose and prickle rise."

ALLEYN.

It has been seen that a generous sympathy had taken place of hostile
feeling, as respects Raoul, in the minds of most on board the
Proserpine. Under the influence of this sentiment, an order had been
passed through the sentries, not to molest their prisoner by too
frequent or unnecessary an examination of the state-room. With a view to
a proper regard to both delicacy and watchfulness, however, Winchester
had directed that the angle of the canvas nearest the cabin-door lantern
should be opened a few inches, and that the sentinel shoul