"No," said Poole decisively; "everything depends upon our doing these things ourselves. The cable can be made fast without a sound, and as soon as it is passed over the side of the boat, the men must lay the gig alongside the bows for us to swarm up, do our part, and then get to them the best way we can. I expect it will mean a jump overboard and a swim till they pick us up." "Yes," said Fitz; "that's right. Ah, there comes the end of the cable. It's nice and soft to handle." "Yes," said Poole, "and needn't make any noise." The lads sauntered up to where the men were at work, three of them lowering down the gig, while the carpenter and boatswain were bringing up the cable out of the tier, the former on deck, the boatswain down below. "So you're going to have a night's fishing, my lad?" said the carpenter. "Well, you'll find this 'ere a splendid line. But what about a hook?" "Oh, we shan't want that yet, Chips," said Poole coolly. "Nay, I know that, my lad; but you've got to think about it all the same, and you'll want a pretty tidy one for a line like this. I didn't know the fish run so big along this coast. Any one would think you'd got whales in your heads. I never 'eard, though, as there was any harpoons on board." "Oh no, we are not going whale-fishing," said Poole quietly. "What's it to be then, sir? Bottom fishing or top?" "Top," said Poole. "Then you'll be wanting me to make you a float. What's it to be? One of them big water-barrels with the topsail-yard run through? And you'll want a sinker. And what about a bait?" "We haven't thought about that yet, Chips." "Ah, you aren't like what I was when I was a boy, Mr Poole, sir. I used to think about it the whole day before, and go to the butcher's for my maggits, and down the garden for my wums. Of course I never fished in a big way like this 'ere; but I am thinking about a bait. I should like you to have good sport. Means hard work for the Camel to-morrow, I suppose." "And to-night too, Chips, I hope," said Poole. "That's right, sir," said the man cheerily, as he hauled upon the cable. "But what about that bait? I know what would be the right thing; perhaps the skipper mightn't approve, and not being used to it Mr Burnett here mightn't like to use such a bait." "Oh, I don't suppose I should mind, Chips," said Fitz, laughing. "What should you recommend?" "Well, sir, I should say, have the dinghy and go up the river a mile or two till we could land and catch a nice lively little nigger--one of them very shiny ones. That would be the sort." The two lads forgot the seriousness of the mission they had in view, exchanged glances, and began to laugh, with the result that the man turned upon them quite an injured look.