Having let himself down into the hold, holding on to the coaming with one hand, he stretched out the other with the lantern, so as to let its light fall on every side. No one was there. He then made his way into the fore-peak. It seemed to Jack that he was a long time absent, though in reality scarcely a minute passed before he scrambled out again. "What has become of the youngsters I can't say, but on board this craft they are not; nor is their monkey Spider, who with his long tail to hold on by was not likely to be washed overboard," he exclaimed, as he sprang back into the boat. "The sooner we shove off the better, for she is filling fast, and may go to the bottom at any moment." "I can't bear to leave her though without having a look round," said Jack, taking the lantern from Higson. He made his way into the little cabin, and was soon convinced that Higson was right. Not a trace of the midshipmen could he see. He searched the hold and the fore-peak. They were not there, dead or alive. Jack came back to the boat and sat down, feeling very sorrowful. "Let me go in again," said the old mate, as he took the lantern. He was back very soon with three small carpet-bags in his hand. "Be sharp," cried Adair. "She is going down!" He spoke truly. Higson made a leap into the boat, which shoved off just as the drogher, giving a slight roll, sank from sight. The crew pulled away from her. "I could only find my own and two other fellows' bags," said Higson. "The others must have slipped down into the water." The boat at once returned to the schooner with the sad intelligence. Norris and the master's-assistant were very glad to get back their carpet-bags. Their recovery, it is possible, somewhat consoled them for the loss of their young messmates. They, at all events, congratulated themselves that they had not been on board the drogher when she was blown away from Saba. Jack, who loved his brother dearly, was very much grieved at his loss; so was Terence for Gerald, though he thought most of the sorrow his sister would suffer when she heard of her boy's death. "Arrah now; I wish that I'd let him stay at home and turn farmer; but then, to be sure, he might have been after breaking his neck out hunting, so it comes to the same thing in the end," he exclaimed, with as near an approach to a sigh as he ever uttered. "Och, ahone, poor Nora, the sweet cratur! and I not able to bring her back the boy." Murray was less demonstrative, but he knew that young Archy would be truly mourned for in his distant highland home. The schooner now commenced her long beat back to Antigua. There was every prospect of its being a tedious business; but there was a fresh breeze, and by carrying on, though the top-masts bent like willow-wands, English Harbour was gained at length. Captain Hemming felt the loss of his midshipmen; but when the matter was explained to him, he acquitted old Higson of all blame.