By gestures I made Seth Hartley understand that in my opinion we should pull up nearer the Good Hope; but he shook his head so decidedly that I made no further attempt at persuading him, though I said to myself that if Abel Grant came to grief after getting into the water, our marine could be held responsible. I had thought the time of suspense while we were on the sloop as painful as anything well could be; but it was veriest peace and content as compared with this straining one’s eyes to see and ears to hear, without avail. We were too far away to make out what might be going on aboard; but must sit there watching the twinkling lights and listening to the lip-lip-lipping of the water against the side of the skiff, powerless to aid even in the slightest degree the poor fellow whom we believed was about to make an effort at escaping. Moment after moment passed without change, and I became so wrought up that it was actually necessary to shut my teeth on the handle of the oar, otherwise I would have cried aloud from sheer nervousness. Seth remained motionless as a statue, save when the swinging of the skiff forced him to turn on the thwart that he might keep his eyes fixed upon the ship, and after it seemed absolutely impossible for me to longer restrain my impatience, I asked in a soft whisper: “How late is it?” “An hour or more past midnight,” he replied without turning his head, and my heart sank within me. “Then he has failed!” I said in despair. “It may be Barney could not make the necessary arrangements, an’ the attempt has been put off.” “Then why should we remain here longer?” “Because we do not know what may have been done,” he replied, just a bit curtly as I fancied, and once more we resumed our listening and watching, but now hope was dead in my heart, and I played my part listlessly, thinking only that we were trifling with our own lives by remaining so near the enemy. When perhaps half an hour more had passed without bringing any token from the man whom we had hoped to save, I saw the canvas of the Swiftsure, ghost-like amid the gloom, and knew that Abraham and Sam had come to make certain we were safe. Touching Seth Hartley on the shoulder, I pointed out the sail to him, but he shook his head impatiently, and turned again to fasten his gaze on the prison ship. Now the strain upon my nerves was lessened in some slight degree, since I could occupy myself with the movements of the sloop. I saw her stand off and on, keeping at the same distance, however, and thus knew that the lads, having made out the skiff, were assured as to our whereabouts. Then, when I had said to myself that we were playing the simple by remaining there longer, the skiff was rocked violently to and fro as if some monster of the deep had struck her, and only by the utmost effort did I prevent myself from shrieking in terror as a small black object appeared above the gunwale within a few inches of where I was sitting.