"I'm sure I was," cried Fitz, "till the thought came that perhaps I had not turned the screw far enough. That thought made me quite jump. Then there was the feeling the screw move. I felt as if I could see the great thread all shining as it glided along, while I must have seen the block when I lifted it out." "But that was all fancy of course. It was the darkest, blackest night I ever saw." "I know, but I certainly seemed to see the block as I held it hugged to my breast." "I should have liked to see you when you were making for the side all top-heavy, and went flying over after the great quoin as you called it. My word, Fitz, that was a flying leap overboard." "Ugh!" ejaculated the latter with a shudder. "As I go over the task again, it seems as if it is all part of a queer dream." "A very lively one though," said Poole, laughing. "I say, I wonder how deep you went down." "Oh, don't talk about it! Ever so far. It seemed a terribly long time all going down and down, feeling all that time as if I should never come up again, and thinking about sharks too. Why, it couldn't have been half-a-minute from the time I touched the water till I was at the top again swimming, and yet it seemed to be an hour at least." "It does seem long at a time like that. But I say, what a narrow escape that was." "Of being caught, yes." "No, no," cried Poole; "I mean when the breech-block went over the side." "It just was," said the carpenter, coming up. "I know somebody, gentlemen, who thinks as he had a very narrow squeak of being took down to the bottom with that bit o' steel and kept there. But that would ha' been better than floating up again to be pulled to pieces by the sharks. I don't suppose that they stops much about the bottom o' the sea; they generally seem to be too busy up at top, drying their back-fins in the open air. Trying your little bit o' performance over again, gentlemen?" "Yes, Chips," said Fitz, as the man stood smiling at him. "It was a horrible night's work." "Well, no, sir, not horrid. We came out to do something and we did it fine. The on'y awkward bit on it is the risk you ran a-popping that there breech-block on somebody's head, for which miss he's very much obliged--very much indeed. But I came to see if you gents wouldn't like to come down below with us to sound the well, for I expect there's a precious lot o' water there, and a big hole to let it in. Mr Burgess have gone down with Butters." The two lads hurriedly followed the carpenter below, to encounter the mate and boatswain fresh from their task. "Deal more water than I like to see, my lads," said the boatswain, "but we shall know better where we stand after that steam-pump has been going for a couple of hours."