The words sounded so wise that I hesitated with the lantern in my hand, and for a moment or two I thought of running off to report my discovery; but I recalled the fact that I was on a perilous duty, and that I had no right to leave my post without orders; so I re-hung the lantern, and then, after listening and convincing myself that there was no threatening sound coming from below, I shouted to my companions what I was going to do, and then staggered forward to the carefully battened down hatch, beneath which the great rusty chain cable was lying in a heap. I listened, and my heart sank with disappointment, for the wind was shrieking as fiercely as ever, and I could not hear a sound. "Am I mistaken after all?" I thought, and listened still. Just then, with a heavy thud, as the ship plunged downward, a wave struck the port-bow, rose in a perfect cataract, and curling over, deluged me and rushed along the deck. I should have been swept away, but the combings of the hatch sheltered me a little, and as the hissing splash of the water ceased, I fancied I heard a faint clink of one of the links of the great chain below, while the moment after came more plainly than I had heard it before a smothered, piteous cry-- "Help!" And again directly after, as if he who uttered the cry were in agony-- "Help!" I took out my pistol and thumped with the butt on the hatch, when there was silence again. "Below there!" I shouted with my lips close to the boards. "Help! pray help!" came in answer. "All right," I cried; "I'll see." I crept back on hands and knees to my companions, who were waiting for me impatiently. "It's all right," I said; "there's some one in the cable-tier a prisoner, and as it must be some one of our lads he is of course afraid. Oughtn't I to run to Mr Brymer?" The need ceased the next moment, for before we could decide whether the signal ought to be given by firing a pistol, Neb Dumlow appeared in the feeble glow shed by the lantern, coming out of the black darkness in a peculiarly weird fashion. "Ahoy!" he growled. "Mate says, is all right?" "No," I said eagerly, for boy as I was, I seemed to be the captain of that watch, the two gentlemen giving place to me, even if they did oppose some of my ideas. "Go and tell Mr Brymer to come here." "Ay, ay!" growled the great ugly fellow--uglier now in the darkness than he had ever looked before--and he turned and trotted aft, to return in a few minutes bearing a lantern, and in company with the mate and Mr Frewen. I told them what I had discovered, and Mr Brymer gave an angry stamp. "Of course!" he cried. "I might have known. Why, it must be one of our lads, and a friend. Quick, Dumlow, and have off that hatch."