that I feel hardened against them. It must be a wounded man."

"Why," I cried, as a flash of mental light just then illumined my thick
brain, "I know!"

I was so excited by my discovery, which was one of those simple finds
that the wonder was it had not been thought of at once, I could hardly
contain myself, and I made for a swinging lantern and took it down.

"What is it? What have you found out?" cried Mr Denning at the top of
his voice, though it only sounded feeble then in the din of the storm.

"It's some one in the cable-tier," I cried.

"Cable-tier? Where's that?"

"Just forward. Front of the forksle," I shouted. "We must get the
hatch off."

"No, no; not till Mr Brymer comes," said Mr Denning.

The words sounded so wise that I hesitated with the lantern in my hand,
and for a moment or two I thought of running off to report my discovery;
but I recalled the fact that I was on a perilous duty, and that I had no
right to leave my post without orders; so I re-hung the lantern, and
then, after listening and convincing myself that there was no
threatening sound coming from below, I shouted to my companions what I
was going to do, and then staggered forward to the carefully battened
down hatch, beneath which the great rusty chain cable was lying in a
heap.

I listened, and my heart sank with disappointment, for the wind was
shrieking as fiercely as ever, and I could not hear a sound.

"Am I mistaken after all?" I thought, and listened still.

Just then, with a heavy thud, as the ship plunged downward, a wave
struck the port-bow, rose in a perfect cataract, and curling over,
deluged me and rushed along the deck.

I should have been swept away, but the combings of the hatch sheltered
me a little, and as the hissing splash of the water ceased, I fancied I
heard a faint clink of one of the links of the great chain below, while
the moment after came more plainly than I had heard it before a
smothered, piteous cry--

"Help!"

And again directly after, as if he who uttered the cry were in agony--

"Help!"

I took out my pistol and thumped with the butt on the hatch, when there
was silence again.

"Below there!" I shouted with my lips close to the boards.

"Help! pray help!" came in answer.

"All right," I cried; "I'll see."

I crept back on hands and knees to my companions, who were waiting for
me impatiently.

"It's all right," I said; "there's some one in the cable-tier a
prisoner, and as