Besides, such an atmosphere as this must needs prove the severer as a hardship after the luminous and flower-sweetened air of the cabin. Finn took a leisurely survey of the occupants of the bunks. ‘Well, lads!’ said he, ‘what’s the meaning of this here talk about a woice? Mr. Crimp’s just come aft to tell me there’s somewhat a-speaking under foot here.’ ‘That’s right, sir,’ remarked Cutbill, who stood bolt upright like a sentry in the entrance to his little berth. ‘I beg your pardon, Mr. Monson, sir, but it’s nigh hand the same sort o’ speech as hailed us from the wreck.’ ‘’Tis the _same_!’ said a deep voice from one of the bunks. ‘Rats!’ quoth Finn contemptuously. ‘Never yet met with the rat as could damn a man’s eyes in English,’ grunted Crimp. ‘Nor in any other lingo, Mr. Crimp,’ said a singular-looking seaman, whose face I had before taken notice of as resembling the skin of an over-ripe lemon. He lay on the small of his back blinking at us, and his countenance in that light, that was rendered confusing by the sliding of shadows to the swing of the yacht, made one think of a melon half buried in a blanket. ‘Well, but see here, my lads,’ exclaimed Finn in a voice of expostulation, ‘what did this here woice say? _That’s_ what I want to know. What did it _say_, men?’ ‘I told ’ee,’ growled Crimp. But old Jacob’s interpretation did not tally with that of the others. The sailors were generally agreed that the voice had exclaimed in effect that the yacht was cursed, and that their business was to make haste and sail her home; but some had apparently heard more than others, whilst a few again manifestly embellished, with a notion, perhaps, of making the most of it; but there could be no question whatever that human syllables, very plainly articulated, had sounded from out of the hold; all hands were agreed as to _that_, and proof conclusive as to the sincerity of the men might have been found in the looks of them, one and all. ‘Silence, now!’ cried Finn; ‘let’s listen.’