Jem refusing to discuss the matter, the cook awoke Dobbs. Dobbs swore at him peacefully, and resumed his slumbers. The cook went up again and prowled round the deck, looking in all sorts of unlikely places for the boy. He even climbed a little way into the rigging, and, finding no traces of him, was reluctantly forced to the conclusion that he had gone overboard. “Pore little chap,” he said solemnly, looking over the ship’s side at the still water. He walked slowly aft, shaking his head, and looking over the stern, brought up suddenly with a cry of dismay and rubbed his eyes. The ship’s boat had also disappeared. “Wot?” said the two seamen as he ran below and communicated the news. “Well, if it’s gorn, it’s gorn.” “Hadn’t I better go an’ tell the skipper?” said the cook. “Let ’im find it out ’isself,” said Jem, purring contentedly in the blankets. “It’s ’is boat. Go’ night.” “Time we ’ad a noo ’un too,” said Dobbs, yawning. “Don’t you worry your ’ed, cook, about what don’t consarn you.” The cook took the advice, and, having made his few simple preparations for the night, blew out the lamp and sprang into his bunk. Then he uttered a sharp exclamation, and getting out again fumbled for the matches and relit the lamp. A minute later he awoke his exasperated friends for the third time. “S’elp me, cook,” began Jem fiercely. “If you don’t I will,” said Dobbs, sitting up and trying to reach the cook with his clenched fist. “It’s a letter pinned to my pillow,” said the cook in trembling tones, as he held it to the lamp. “Well, we don’t want to ’ear it,” said Jem. “Shut up, d’ye hear?” But there was that in the cook’s manner which awed him. “Dear cook,” he read feverishly, “I have made an infernal machine with clockwork, and hid it in the hold near the gunpowder when we were at Fairhaven. I think it will go off between ten and eleven to-night, but I am not quite sure about the time. Don’t tell those other beasts, but jump overboard and swim ashore. I have taken the boat. I would have taken you too, but you told me you swam seven miles once, so you can eas—” The reading came to an abrupt termination as his listeners sprang out of their bunks, and, bolting on deck, burst wildly into the cabin, and breathlessly reeled off the heads of the letter to its astonished occupants. “Stuck a wot in the hold?” gasped the skipper. “Infernal machine,” said the mate; “one of them things wot you blow up the ’Ouses of Parliament with.” “Wot’s the time now?” interrogated Jem anxiously. “’Bout ha’-past ten,” said the cook trembling. “Let’s give ’em a hail ashore.” They leaned over the side, and sent a mighty shout across the water. Most of Lowport had gone to bed, but the windows in the inn were bright, and lights showed in the upper windows of two or three of the cottages.