from the taffrail to the eyes with never a break,
everything being clean gone, saving the line of the hatches which
showed in slightly raised squares, under the crust of shells that lay
everywhere like armour.

"Lord!" cried Jackson; "what would I give for a chopper or pick-axe to
smash open that there hatch, so as to get inside of her."

"Inside of her?" says I; "why she'll be full of water!"

"That's to be proved, Mr. Small," says he.

We walked forward into the bows, and clearly made out the shape of a
grapnel thick with shells, with its claws upon the bulwark rail of the
half-ship alongside, and there was a line stretched between, belayed
to what might have been a kevel on a stanchion of the craft we were
in. This rope was as lovely as a piece of fancy work, with tiny
shells; but on my touching it, to see if it was taut, it parted as if
it had been formed of smoke, and each end fell with a little rattle
against the side as though it had been a child's string of beads.

We were gaping about us, almost forgetting our distressed situation,
in contemplation of these astonishing objects which had risen like
ghosts from the mysterious heart of the deep, when we heard Fallows
calling, and on our running to the side to learn what he wanted, we
saw him standing up in the boat, pointing like a madman into the
southward. It was the white canvas of a vessel, clearer to us than to
him, who was lower by some feet. The air was still a weak draught, but
the sail was rising with a nimbleness that made us know she was
bringing a breeze of wind along with her, and in half-an-hour's time
she had risen to the black line of her bulwarks rail, disclosing the
fabric of what was apparently a brig or barque, heading almost dead on
her end for us.

Jackson and I at once tumbled into the boat, but we were careful to
keep her close to the two craft, and the amazing platform they floated
on, for they furnished out a show that was not to be missed aboard the
approaching vessel, whereas the boat must make little more than a
speck though but half-a-mile distant.

The breeze the vessel was bringing along with her was all about us
presently with a threat of weight in it. We stepped an oar, with the
shirts atop, and they blew out bravely and made a good signal.

"Why, see, Mr. Small!" cries Jackson, on a sudden, "ain't she the
_Hindoo Merchant_?"

I stood awhile, and then joyfully exclaimed, "Ay, 't is the old hooker
herself, thanks be to