"There he goes. I've sent him in as far as I can reach. He must do the
rest hisself."
We crouched there just under the streaks of light which came down from
the cuts, listening for a good ten minutes to the scuffling, scrambling
noise made by the big sailor, but they all sounded close to us, as if he
was not making much way; but I concluded that this was because the
opening conducted the sound so well, and in hopeful anticipation I saw
the brave fellow going on and on along the top of the cargo till he
reached the forecastle bulk-head, upon which our friends must have
tapped their signals. Then we should be able to arrange a plan of
co-operation, and perhaps succeed in re-taking the vessel, when crash!
down went my card castle.
"Bob!" came in smothered tones.
"Hullo."
"Can't get any farder, mate."
"Why?"
"I'm too big."
"Well, then, come back and let me try."
"Can't, mate."
"Why?"
"'Cause I'm stuck fast, and can't move either way a hinch."
Bang, bang! came on the hatches overhead, in company with a loud
talking, and above it the voice of Jarette.
"Have it off, my lads. Only one, my braves. And below there, be quiet
all of you. Make a movement, and I'll shoot you down like dogs."
Those were terrible moments. The sudden glare of light by the removal
of the hatch dazzled us, a couple of pistols were thrust down, and a
bucket of water was lowered. Then some biscuits were thrown to us, as
if we were the dogs of which Jarette had spoken; and I crouched there
motionless, thinking only of Dumlow jammed in there amongst the cases,
and expecting moment by moment to hear him call out for help.
But, poor fellow, he was as silent as we were, feeling as he did and
afterwards said to me, that it would have been like telling Jarette that
we had a chance of getting out.
But before the hatch was rattled on again, and hammered down into its
place, I managed to get a glimpse of the opening in among the cargo,
into which we had been thrown, and in that rapid glance I grasped the
fact that it had evidently been made by the removal of a number of
cases, probably hoisted out by Jarette's men.
I did not breathe freely again till the hatch was replaced, but I did
then, from the fact that the strain was taken off my mind, and the hatch
had been off long enough for the foul hot air below to rise, and be
replaced by fresh.
To my great delight the tarpaulin was not put down over the opening, and
consequently there were a few vivid pencils of light to brighten our
prison.
We waited till the men had gone forward, and then I spoke to Dumlow.
"Are you sure you can't get any farther?" I whispered.
"Yes, sartain, sir."
"Then make another trial and get back at once."
"Can't, sir."
"Nonsense," I cried, speaking sharply to inspirit him; "if the hole was
big enough for you to go in, it's big enough for you to come out."
"No it arn't, cause it's like a rat-trap, and the corners and things
keeps you from getting back, sir."
The perspiration began to stand out on my forehead, and a strange
feeling of horror came over me as I thought of the man's position, and
of what might happen if he could not get back; while just as thoughts of
suffocation ensuing came rushing through my mind, the object of my
thoughts suddenly said in a low husky voice--
"Bob, lad?"
"Hullo, mate!"
"You and Barney get hold of a leg each, and haul me back, or I shall be
suffocated."
"Yah! not you; wiggle yourself back, matey."
"There arn't no wiggle left in me, lad, and it's so hot that I can't
breathe."
"Have another try," whispered Barney.
We heard a rustling, struggling sound as if some one was striving hard
to get forward or back, but without result, and then the voice came more
husky and smothered than ever.
"No go, lads. Look sharp and have me out, or I'm a goner."
"Get out," growled Bob, quite excitedly. "You don't half try."
"I did, mate, but I'm getting worse," came back faintly, "I'm a-swelling
up and fitting tighter every moment. Can't yer get me out?"
"Here, ketch hold of one o' his legs, Barney," growled Bob, hurriedly.
"We must have him out somehow. Got him?"
"There arn't no room, messmate."
"Lie up close to me and reach in together. Head in too."
A low groan now came from the hold, and though I could not see, of
course I knew what was going on, and could estimate the difficulties of
the position. Dumlow's two messmates, in their efforts to help him,
were making his position more perilous, for they were forcing their
heads and shoulders into the opening, and stopping off what little air
could get to him.
There was another groan.
"Don't make a row, lad, we're doing our best," came in a distant voice
which sounded as far away as poor Dumlow's groans. "Got him, matey?"
"Ay, ay."
"Both together. Yo ho, ahoy!"
This was all quite in a smothered tone, and accompanied by jerking and
dragging sounds, which as they were kept up were accompanied and
followed by feeble groans.
"Quick, quick!" I cried. "Have him out, or they'll hear on deck."
No one answered, and I moved forward and tried to help by clasping Bob
round the waist.
"Ahoy! Ahoy! Haul away--hoy!"
All in quite a smothered whisper, and then there was another moan.
"Now again. All together."
I joined in and dragged with all my might, but our efforts were in vain,
Barney paused to get a fresh messmate's legs.
"He's worked himself on till he's regularly jammed in," growled Bob.
"Now then, once more; we must have him, or he'll be a dead 'un. Haul.
Now then!"
We all dragged together. There was a sudden giving way, a rush, and I
was on my back with two men--it felt like three--upon me, and I dare not
call out in my horror and pain, but had to lie there listening to
passing footsteps overhead until they had gone, and then to my greater
horror Bob Hampton growled out--
"Well, we've got his legs, anyhow."
There was a smothered groan once more.
"It's all right, messmate," said Barney. "Here's his uppards and head
come too. Oh, I beg your pardon, sir. Are you hurt?"
"Hurt?--yes!" I said angrily, "but never mind me. How's Dumlow?"
There was a low groan in answer.
"Oh, he's all right, sir," said Barney. "We didn't break him. He's all
out."
"No, he arn't all right," growled Bob, who was feeling about in the
dark. "He's in a reg'lar muddle, I dunno what's the matter with him.
Strikes me we've pulled him inside out."
"Go on with yer. It's all right. It's on'y his jersey pulled right
over his head and shoulders, and most off his arms. That's the way.
There you are. You're all right now, arn't you, Neb?"
"Oh, my heye!" muttered the great fellow, and I felt a profound sense of
satisfaction in hearing him speak again. "I began to think I was a
goner."
"Not you," said Bob.
"Warn't the skin all off o' me, Barney?"
"Nay, not it, lad."
"Sure? Felt as if you was a-stripping of it all off o' me when I began
to come."
"Nay, you're in your skin right enough, messmate."
"Sure, Barney? 'Cause I feel precious sore uppards."
"Sure? Yes. There, I'm glad we got you out without breaking."
"So'm I, mate, werry glad indeed. I'm two sizes too big for a hole like
that, and I don't think it's any use for me to try again."
As he spoke there came the three signal knocks, and as Bob answered them
he growled out--
"Oh yes, we know you're there. Look here, Mr Dale, sir. I'm two sizes
smaller than Neb; I'm going to have a try."
"No, you'd better not, Bob," I whispered. "Let's wait and try to break
through the hatch."
"Nay, sir, we ought to get along with them if we could. I'll just try,
I'm quite two sizes smaller than Neb, and I won't be such an old silly
as to go and ram myself in fast. Say I may go, sir."
"Yes, sir, let him go," said Dumlow. "It'll take some o' the conceit
out on him when he gets stuck fast."
"Well then, go, Bob, but pray be careful."
"Ay, ay, sir, I'll be careful, for I've got a great respeck for Bob
Hampton, mariner. But you'll lend a hand, Neb, if I want hauling out?"
"I just wall," growled the big fellow. "You shall have it, messmate."
I felt very much disposed to stop him, but while I was hesitating there
was the old scuffling noise, and I could mentally see Bob Hampton
shuffling in the opening above the cases, and soon after there was a
grunting and panting, followed by a low muttering in the hole.
"What d'yer say, messmate?" whispered Barney.
_Pat_!
"Here, I say, mind what you're arter," cried Barney, angrily. "You
kicked me right in the chin. I don't want my teeth loosened that how."
"Why, he's a-comin' back," growled Neb.
For the shuffling and rustling was continued, and the next minute Bob
Hampton was back and lying along the casks.
"Couldn't you get any farther?" I said, feeling greatly relieved at his
return.
"No, sir. Neb's two sizes too large for the place, and I'm one size. I
got as far as he did, and if I'd moved a bit farder I should ha' stuck."
"Yer didn't go as far as I did."
"Yes, I did, mate."
"How d'yer know?"
"'Cause I brought back your knife as lay just where I reached."
Neb Dumlow grunted, and Bob drew a series of very long breaths.
"Rayther hot in there, sir, and Neb had swallowed up all the fresh air
there was."
"And precious little too. I could ha' swallowed bucketsful more if I'd
had it."
"Lor'! what a fuss you two chaps make," said Barney. "I knowed that's
how it would be. There, shut your eyes, both on you, and see yer father
do it."
"You're not going, Barney?" I whispered.
"Oh yes, I am, sir. I can do it."
"Yes, sir, let him go," said Bob. "He's a reg'lar conger-eely sort o'
fellow, as can wiggle hisself through a gas-pipe a'most. You let him
go, and see what he can do."
"Yes, sir, let me have a try," said Barney, and I reluctantly consented,
though I had very little hope of his getting through.
"Hadn't us better have a biscuit and a drink of water first, sir?" said
Bob Hampton. "I'm strange and hungry yet."
In my excitement I had forgotten all about the food, and giving the
word, we squatted down round the bucket of water to nibble our biscuits
and have a good drink from time to time; and in spite of the heat and
closeness of our prison, that was one of the most enjoyable meals I ever
ate.
We had just finished when we heard Jarette and his followers talking
above us, and the subject of their discourse, as far as I could make it
out, seemed to be something about a boat.