y.

"Well, I could do with a bit more light and a smoke, sir," said the
man, respectfully cheerful. But it was not his words; it was his action
that arrested me, for he jerked his thumb incessantly as he spoke
towards the darker recesses of the hold.

"All right, my man," said I. "I'll speak to Mr. Holgate. He oughtn't to
keep you in such close confinement if you are to remain human beings."

So saying, I waded into the deeper shadows, and as I did I felt my hand
seized and dragged downwards.

"S-s-s-h!" said a very still voice, and I obeyed.

What was it? I was drawn downward, and at last I knelt. I knew now, and
somehow my heart leaped within me. I had never really understood
Legrand; I had taken him for a very ordinary ship's officer; but I had
come slowly to another conclusion. I bent down.

"Heart pretty bad," I said in a mechanical way.

"There's only one way out," whispered a voice below me, "and that's
through the bulkheads into the engine-room. I've been waiting, and I
think I can do it."

"I don't like the look of the eyes," I remarked indifferently. "Does he
eat well?"

"Not very well, sir; it's a job to get him to take it," said Jones.

"We've had four days at it with a knife," said the whisper, "and by
thunder we see light now. We'll get through, Phillimore. How do you
stand?"

"Sleep at all well?" I inquired.

"I couldn't say, sir," said Jones, "just lays there like a log."

"Attack may be made at any moment," I whispered back. "There are some
ten of us holding the state-rooms and the ladies."

He gripped my hand, and I rose to my feet. "Well, I'm afraid I can't do
any more," I said. "He's going on pretty much the same. Good-bye, men."

They returned the farewell, and I made my way to the ladder and
ascended. The guard with emotionless face helped me out, and the first
man my eyes fell on was Holgate, standing with his hands in his
pockets, looking at me. He whistled as he eyed me, and his teeth showed
in his grin.

"For sheer arduous pursuit of duty I don't know your equal, doctor,"
said he. "You just hang on to work as if you loved it. How's the
patient?"

I told him that it was a question of time, but that there was no reason
why Legrand should not get over the injury to his spine--"not that he
will ever be the same man again," I added.

"No," said he reflectively, "he won't. And he wants time, does he?
Well, perhaps we can give him time--though, mark you, my lad, I don't
promise