"What rocks and reefs can do with the greatest ease, we may perhaps achieve by taking a little trouble," was the Prince's thought. The tools which had been used in the construction of the ship's hull might now be useful in destroying a fragment of it. It would be quite enough to make an opening as big as a man's hand, or to remove a plank. The water, which only asks to be let in and glide everywhere, would be quite content with that. Raiden, leaning from the canoe, felt the slimy sides of the ship, and searched under the sticky moss, under paint and tar, for the heads of the nails which held the planks together. The Prince and the sailor Nata tried to hold the boat as nearly stationary as might be. Raiden took a tool from his belt, and with great exertion dug out a few nails. "This ship is well built," said he; "the nails are as long as sword-blades; besides, they are rusty, and as firm in the wood as big teeth in a young jaw." "Do you think we can carry out our plan?" "I certainly hope so," said Raiden. "It is impossible that a nobleman like you could take such trouble for nothing; only I am very awkwardly situated, with my head down, and obliged to pull out the nails obliquely. I must get into the water." "Are you crazy?" said Nata. "The sea is very deep here." "There must be a rope in the boat." "Yes," said Nata. "Very well; fasten the two ends to the seat." Nata quickly obeyed, and Raiden passed the rope under his arms. "In this way I shall be suspended in the water," said he; and he slid silently over the side of the boat. For more than an hour he worked in the darkness, without uttering a single word; and as his hands moved beneath the water, he made no noise. Nothing was audible save the monotonous tread of the sentinel and the dash of the waves against the ship. "Pass me the saki," said Raiden at last; "I am cold." "It is my turn to work," said Nata. "Get into the boat again." "It is done," said Raiden. "I have taken out the nails all round a plank as long as our boat, and as broad as Nata is from shoulder to shoulder." "Then you have fully succeeded," said the Prince. "Not yet; the most difficult part remains. The plank is dovetailed, into its two neighbors, and affords no hold by which I can pull it out." "Try to slip your tool into the crack." "I have been trying, but in vain," said Raiden; "the plank must be pushed from the inside." "That cannot be done," said Nagato. Raiden raised his head; he looked at the ship's hull. "Is there not a port-hole up there over our heads?" he asked. "I see nothing," said the Prince. "You are not accustomed, as we are, to see through the darkness on stormy nights," said Nata; "but I see the port-hole very plainly." "Some one must get in there, and push out the plank," said Raiden. "You are crazy; none of us could squeeze through that narrow opening." "If little Loo were here," muttered Raiden, "he would get in there soon enough, he would!"