is the inside of the lazarette," he continued,
pointing to the tracing. "There are some casks of flour up in this
corner. They'll make you a safe hiding-place. You'll find a bag of
ship's biscuit and some bottles of wine and water and a pannikin stowed
behind them casks. There's cases of bottled ale in the lazarette, and
plenty of tinned stuffs and grub for the cabin table. But don't broach
anything if you can hold out."

"When am I to show myself?"

"When we're out of Soundings."

"Where's that?" said I.

"Clear of the Chops," he answered. "If you come up when the land's
still in sight the captain'll send you ashore by anything that'll take
you, and you'll be handed over to the authorities and charged."

"How shall I know when we're clear of the Chops?" said I.

"I'll drop below into the lazarette on some excuse and tell you," he
answered. "You'll be very careful when you turn up, Mr. Peploe, not to
let them guess that anybody's lent you a hand in this here hiding job.
If they find out I'm your friend, then it's all up with Jem Back. He's
a stone-broke young man, and his parents'll be wishing of themselves
dead rather than they should have lived to see this hour."

"I have sworn, and you may trust me, Back."

"Right," said he. "And now, is there e'er a question you'd like to ask
before you drop below?"

"When does the ship haul out?"

"They may be doing of it even whilst we're talking," he said.

"Can I make my escape out of the lazarette should I feel very ill, or
as if I was going to suffocate?"

"Yes, the hatch is a little un. The cargo sits tall under him, and you
can stand up and shove the hatch clear of its bearings should anything
go seriously wrong with you. But don't be in a hurry to feel ill or
short o' breath. There's no light, but there's air enough. The united
smells, perhaps, ain't all violets, but the place is warm."

He paused, looking at me inquiringly. I could think of nothing more to
ask him. He opened the door, warily peered out, then whispered to me
to follow, and I walked at his heels to the end of the corridor near
the stern. I heard voices in the cabins on either hand of me; some
people came out of one of the after berths, and passed us, talking
noisily, but they took no heed of me or of my friend. They were
passengers, and strangers to the ship, and would suppose me a passenger
also, or an under-steward, like Jem Back, who, however, now looked his
vocation, att