nd
where there was none to grasp.

Every one was waiting now--as all felt sure that so far they had not
been heard--for the middy's order to commence, while he felt as if he
dared not give it, sitting there and letting the time glide by,
convinced as he was now that the end of the Manilla cable could not be
attached to one of the fans without their being heard, and in
imagination he fancied the alarm spread, and saw his chance of ascending
to the deck and reaching the gun, die away.

Then he started, for Poole pinched his arm, sending a thrill through
him, and as it were setting the whole of his human machine in action.

"Now or never," he said to himself, and leaning forward to the boatswain
he whispered a few words in the man's ear, with the result that a very
faint rustling began, a sound so slight that it was almost inaudible to
him who gave the order; but he could feel the boat move slightly, as it
was held fast beside the rudder, and the next minute when the young
captain of the adventure raised his hand--as he could not see--to feel
how the boatswain was getting on, he touched nothing, for the big sturdy
fellow was already half-way to the bows of the gig.

Fitz breathed hard again, and listened trembling now lest they should
fail; but all was perfectly still save that the boat rocked slightly,
which rocking ceased and gave place to a quivering pulsation, as if the
slight craft had been endowed with life. This went on while the two
lads gazed forward and with their minds' eyes saw the boatswain reach
the bows and join the Camel, while two of the men who had not stirred
from their places held on by the rudder and stern-post, one of them
having felt about till his hand encountered a ring-bolt, into which he
had thrust a finger to form a living hook.

And as the lads watched they saw in imagination all that went on. They
did not hear a sound, either in the bows or from above upon the
gunboat's deck, while the two handy men were hard at work laying out the
rope that was already securely attached to the cable; and then came the
first sound, just after the boat moved sharply, as if it had given a
slight jump.

The slight sound was the faintest of splashes, such as might have been
caused by a small fish, and it was due to the end of the rope slipping
down into the water, while the jump on the part of the boat was caused
by its having been lightened of Chips's weight, for he had drawn himself
upwards by grasping