he stuck his pipe between
his teeth, and turning and stepping aft, he came to the stern and looked
over on the port side, Mark being more to starboard.

Thump--thump--thump went the lad's heart in those perilous moments, as
he clung there close to the stern, preparing to drop the moment the man
made a step to knock him off into the sea, and consoling himself with
the knowledge that the line was tight round his waist, and that his
friends had the other end ready to haul him into safety.

They certainly were agonising moments, and yet the man did not stir,
only seemed to gaze out over the sea, then downward; and at last he
turned away from Mark and walked back to his companion.

"Why didn't you open the lantern?" he said, sourly.

"Hands full," came to Mark's ears, as, unable to restrain his curiosity,
the lad raised his head slightly and peered over again to see the lamp
opened and the glare of light fall on the thin, sharp features of the
smoker, as he drew the flame into the bowl of his pipe till the tobacco
was glowing. Then the lantern was closed again with a snap, and the
light was softened to a faint glow, shining on the binnacle and the
black, shadowy figures before it.

"Keep a sharp look-out," said the man at the helm in a harsh growl;
"don't want them fellows to come up and break my head while I'm not
looking."

"Not likely to. They'd better. Make out anything of the little
schooner?"

"Not since I saw her light. She's ten mile away by now."

"She'll be a cable's length astern to-morrow," said the man,
significantly.

"Will she?" thought Mark, but he felt directly after that he had made a
slip, for he could see no way of carrying out the plans they had hatched
below, and a miserable feeling of despondency came over him. For he
knew that if he stirred and made the slightest noise, he must be heard
by the man posted to guard against attack. To get on deck was next to
impossible, and even if he did he would not be able to make the line
fast unless--Mark shuddered and set aside the horrible thought, which
was in full--unless he used his dirk.

In open fight it would have been terrible enough, but then it would have
been in self-defence, and for the sake of the poor enslaved creatures
they were trying to save; but to wait there for an opportunity to strike
would be like playing the assassin, and he felt that he would rather
jump back into the sea and risk the sharks.

It was hard work hanging th