"And said `How de do? I'm quite well thank you, how are you?' Didn't pay for the trouble, sir. We must do something better than that. What do you say, Neb?" "I says as I arn't going to squeedge my carcadge into that hole again if I knows it, messmate." "And you, Barney?" Barney Blane uttered a low deep snore. Worn-out by his exertions, he had lain down on his back and gone to sleep at once, and ten minutes later the hot vitiated air had produced such an effect upon me that I was just as fast, and dreaming of bright sunshine and lovely tropic lands, till I was aroused by strange noise, and a sharp angry voice cried-- "Now then, all! _Vite_! _vite_! Tumble up." CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. I was so confused by being awakened suddenly from a deep sleep, and by the light of a lantern flashing in my eyes, that for a few minutes I moved about quite mechanically, getting out of the way of my companions in misfortune, as first Barney, and then Neb Dumlow, obeyed and climbed out on deck. "Now then, look sharp," cried the same voice, "don't keep us here all night." "You go next, my lad," growled Bob, "and I'll give you a hyste. Take hold o' the combings and give me one leg." I obeyed, in a sleepy stupid way--in fact, if I had been told to jump overboard I think I should have done so then--and as I grasped the combings Bob Hampton seized the leg I lifted as if I had been going to mount a horse, and jerked me right up to where I was seized by a couple of men, thrown down, and then dragged along the deck to the open gangway, where, as I awoke to the fact that there was the black sea all gleaming with yellow scintillations, I suddenly made a desperate effort to escape. "No, no," I shouted. "Help!" "Hold still, will you?" cried one of the men. "Now then, out with him!" In spite of my struggles they forced me onward, holding on to my wrists the while; and speechless now in my horror, I felt that the next moment I should be plunged into the black water to drown. Those were terrible moments, but they only were those brief spaces of time, for just as I felt that all was over, the man who had just spoken shouted--"Below there! Now then, together, mate," and they stooped as low as they could, lowering me down, and then snatched their hands away, and I fell what seemed to be a terrific distance, though it was only a few feet, before I was caught by strong arms and lowered into a boat. "There you are, sir. Go aft." I staggered in the direction in which I was pushed, and dropped on to a thwart, still half-stunned and confused, but sensible enough to understand the words uttered about me, and to see the dull yellow light of the lanterns held by the gangway lighting up a number of drink-flushed faces. "I don't want chucking down, I tell you," growled Bob Hampton. "Give's a hold of a rope and I'll drop down."