I was looking up, for all that I was worth. I was conscious of a certain sense of relief. "It is _real_ then," I said to myself. I screwed my head round, and looked along the yards above us. Yet, still I could see nothing; nothing except shadows and patches of light. Down on deck, I caught the Second Mate's voice. "Have you got him?" he was shouting. "Not yet, Zur," sung out the lowest man on the lee side. "We sees 'im, Sir," added Quoin. "I don't!" I said. "There 'e is agen," he said. We had reached the t'gallant rigging, and he was pointing up to the royal yard. "Ye're a fule, Quoin. That's what ye are." The voice came from above. It was Jock's, and there was a burst of laughter at Quoin's expense. I could see Jock now. He was standing in the rigging, just below the yard. He had gone straight away up, while the rest of us were mooning over the top. "Ye're a fule, Quoin," he said, again, "And I'm thinking the Second's juist as saft." He began to descend. "Then there's no one?" I asked. "Na'," he said, briefly. As we reached the deck, the Second Mate ran down off the poop. He came towards us, with an expectant air. "You've got him?" he asked, confidently. "There wasn't anyone," I said. "What!" he nearly shouted. "You're hiding something!" he continued, angrily, and glancing from one to another. "Out with it. Who was it?" "We're hiding nothing," I replied, speaking for the lot. "There's no one up there." The Second looked round upon us. "Am I a fool?" he asked, contemptuously. There was an assenting silence. "I saw him myself," he continued. "Tammy, here, saw him. He wasn't over the top when I first spotted him. There's no mistake about it. It's all damned rot saying he's not there." "Well, he's not, Sir," I answered. "Jock went right up to the royal yard." The Second Mate said nothing, in immediate reply; but went aft a few steps and looked up the main. Then he turned to the two 'prentices. "Sure you two boys didn't see anyone coming down from the main?" he inquired, suspiciously. "Yes, Sir," they answered together. "Anyway," I heard him mutter to himself, "I'd have spotted him myself, if he had." "Have you any idea, Sir, who it was you saw?" I asked, at this juncture. He looked at me, keenly. "No!" he said. He thought for a few moments, while we all stood about in silence, waiting for him to let us go. "By the holy poker!" he exclaimed, suddenly. "But I ought to have thought of that before." He turned, and eyed us individually. "You're all here?" he asked. "Yes, Sir," we said in a chorus. I could see that he was counting us. Then he spoke again. "All of you men stay here where you are. Tammy, you go into _your_ place and see if the other fellows are in their bunks. Then come and tell me. Smartly now!" The boy went, and he turned to the other 'prentice. "You get along forrard to the fo'cas'le," he said. "Count the other watch; then come aft and report to me."