tally, "perhaps it isn't loaded
again, and he couldn't hit me in the dark.--But he hit Walters and poor
old Neb Dumlow," something within me argued.

"Well," I replied to the imaginary arguer, "if my wound when it comes is
no worse than poor old Neb's, I shan't much mind."

And all the while I could feel that we were moving toward the ship, for
though I could not hear a splash aft nor a ripple of the sea against the
bows, the boat rolled slightly, so that I had to spread my legs apart to
keep my balance.

Oh, how dark it was that night! And how thankful I felt! For saving
that the lights in the cabin shone out, there was no trace of the ship;
nothing ahead but intense blackness, and not a star to be seen.

"I can't see it," I thought. "I hope Bob won't run us bump up against
the hull, and give the alarm."

Then I hugged myself and felt encouraged, for if I could not see the
great ship with her towering masts, and rigging, and sails hanging,
waiting for the breeze which must succeed the long calm, it was not
likely that the keenest-eyed watcher would see our small boat.

"But he may hear it coming," I argued. And then. "Not likely, for I
can't hear a sound myself."

On we went with the round dim light in the ship's side showing a little
plainer; but I noticed, as I stood there buttoning up my jacket tightly,
that the light appeared a little more to my right, which of course meant
that Bob Hampton was steering for the left to where lay the ship's bows.

I tried to make out her outlines, but I could see nothing. I could
hear, though, for from where I guessed the forecastle to be came a song
sung in a very tipsy voice as a man struck up. It sounded dull and
half-smothered, but I heard "Moon on the ocean," and "standing toast,"
and "Lass that loves a sailor." Then there was a chorus badly sung, and
I started, for away to the right where the cabin-light was, I heard a
sound like an angry ejaculation or an oath muttered in the stillness of
the dark night.

"Jarette," I said softly. "Hurrah! He won't hear me climb the stay,
and I can get on deck safely."

Another minute of the slowest possible movement, and I was thinking
whether I ought not after all to take off my jacket; but I felt I was
right in keeping it on, for my shirt-sleeves would have shown light
perhaps if I had been anywhere near a lantern. Then I had something
else to think of, for looming up before me, blacker than the night, was
the hull o