rope, or both down one?"

"Both down this one close here, and whoever goes down first can wait for
the other. Yes, Jem; I'll go first."

"When?"

"Now, at once."

"Hoo--ray!" whispered Jem in Don's ear, so sharply that it produced a
strange tickling sensation.

"Open your knife, Jem."

"Right, my lad; I'm ready."

"This way, then. Hist!"

Don caught Jem's arm in a firm grip as he was moving along the deck,
each feeling somewhat agitated at the daring venture of exchanging firm
planks for the treacherous sea, infested as they knew it was by horrible
creatures which could tear them limb from limb.

Jem had heard a sound at the same moment, and he needed no telling that
he should listen.

For from some distance off along the shore there was a faint splash,
and, as they strained their eyes in the direction from whence it had
come, they could see flashes of pale light, which they knew were caused
by paddles.

"It's them, Jem," whispered Don, excitedly. "We must not start yet till
the canoe is close up. I wish I had told him that I would make some
signal."

"It'll be all right, my lad," said Jem huskily. "Give 'em time. Think
the watch 'll see 'em?"

"I hope not," panted Don, as he strained his eyes in the direction of
the faintly flashing paddles, which seemed to be moved very cautiously.

"Think it is them, Jem?"

"Who could it be?"

"Might it be a war canoe coming to try and capture the ship?"

"Not it," said Jem sturdily; "it's Ugly, as put out his tongue, coming
to help us away. My, Mas' Don, how I should like to chop him under the
chin next time he does that pretty trick of his."

"Silence, man! Listen, and look out. Let's get close to the rope
first."

They crept softly toward the rope hanging down from the main chains,
ready to their hand, and, as they crept, the dark figure that had seemed
to be spying over their movements crept too, but on toward the
quarter-deck, where the captain and the first lieutenant were lolling
over the rail, and talking gently as they smoked--rather a rare custom
in those days.

"It's the canoe, Jem," whispered Don; "and it's coming closer."

They strained their eyes to try and make out the men in the long, low
vessel, but it was too dark. They could not even hear the plash of a
paddle, but they knew that some boat--that of friend or foe--was slowly
coming toward the ship, for the flashing of the paddles in the
phosphorescent water grew more plain.