"When he holloas, let's fetch him out with a will."
"Ay, ay, but he don't holloa," said Bob. "Why, he've got farder than we
did."
"Nay, not he. Why, he have though!"
For the whistling went on, just a softened hissing, and it was evident
that Barney had got some distance in. What was more was that he was
still progressing.
"He's going to do it, Bob!" I cried excitedly.
"Getting a bit farder, sir, that's all," replied Bob. "But what I wants
to know is, how are we going to get hold on his legs when he gets stuck?
There won't be no reaching on 'em, as I can see."
"Hadn't yer better hail him to hold hard, and come back for us to hitch
a line round one of his fins?"
"Which line would you use, messmate?" said Bob dryly. "The old 'un or
the noo 'un?"
"Eh? Which on 'em?"
"Ay. Why, there arn't no line down here, is there? What yer talking
about?"
"No," muttered Dumlow, thoughtfully; "there arn't no line down here, o'
course. I never thought o' that. But s'pose he gets stuck fast, as he
will farder on, what's to be done?"
"I d'know, without old Jarette comes and has the cargo out. Why,
where's he got to!"
I was listening intently, but the whistling and rustling had ceased, and
half in alarm, half hopeful that he would find a way through to where
our companions were imprisoned, I strained my ears longingly for some
suggestion of how far Barney could be. All at once the sound
recommenced, stopped, began again, and then much nearer than I had
expected there came a struggling and panting, which made my blood run
cold.
"He's hitched," muttered Bob Hampton, and then in quite a low voice he
cried into the opening--
"Where are you, mate?"
"Here," came back in a smothered voice.
"I knowed he would," growled Dumlow. "He's got fast, and now what's to
be done?"
It was very horrible, shut down there in that close, hot place,
listening to the struggles of a fellow-creature who was in such a
position that wanting help he was beyond the reach of those who were
eager to render it. The perspiration once more streamed down my face,
and my hands trembled as I called upon myself to act in a manly way.
Neither of my companions could go to Barney's help. They were, as had
been proved, too bulky, and yet help must be given, and quickly too.
Everything pointed to the fact that the task must fall upon me to creep
forward to render aid; but when I got there in that confined place, what
would my strength be toward getting the poor fellow back? All I could
do would be to creep along to him and say a few words of encouragement
to incite him to make a fresh effort or two to struggle free, and if
that failed, stay beside him and talk of hope while the men gave the
alarm, and help was brought to take off the hatches right along, and
drag out cargo until the man was reached and set free.
"Ahoy, messmate!" cried Bob now. "Are you stuck fast?"
"Ay, ay."
The words sounded so stifled and strange that I knew the moment had come
for me to make an effort to save him, and mastering the horrible
sensation of shrinking cowardice that came over me, I drew a long, deep
breath, and seized Bob Hampton to draw him aside.
"What's wrong, my lad? What is it?" he said, almost surlily. "It arn't
my fault; I'd go in to pull him back, but I shouldn't get in fur 'fore I
was stuck."
"No, no," I said excitedly. "Of course not."
"Then Neb had have to come, and he wouldn't get far arter me for he was
stuck too. Then what would you do 'bout pulling us out all three?"
"Nothing," I said, desperately. "You must not either of you go. The
time has come for me to try and save him myself."
Bob Hampton laid a hand upon my shoulder to stop me; but I thrust him
back and was half into the opening when the rustling sound within
increased.
"I'm coming, Blane," I said, in a loud whisper.
"No, no; don't you come," he whispered back. "I'm coming out, and there
arn't room for two."
I stopped in astonishment, for I had pictured him to be hopelessly fixed
and unable to move; and not only did the rustling continue, and he
seemed to be approaching, but he said he was coming out.
"Rather an awkward kind o' place, sir," he said, and his voice was
carried along toward me, so that it sounded as if he were whispering
close to my ear. "One feels like a rat going down a pump to make a meal
off the sucker, and a drink o' water after. Don't you try to come,
sir."
"But I am in, Barney, I came to help you."
"Thankye, sir; but I'll talk to you when I get out. I'm coming fast
now."
And he did come on so fast that in less than a minute, as I waited
motionless, and with one hand extended to touch his feet when they came
into reach, his face was close to mine, and I shrank back as he said--
"Here we are, sir. That's you, isn't it?"
"Yes, Barney. But you didn't go in feet first?"
"No, sir, head-first; and I come out head-first too."
I was so puzzled that I said nothing, and backed out as quickly as I
could, followed by the sailor, who seated himself panting.
"Precious hot in there, sir," he said.
"But how did you manage? You said you were stuck fast," growled Bob.
"So I was, matey, for a minute or two, right at the end as far as I
could go; for it got too small for me at last."
"How far did you go in?"
"Ah, that I don't know, sir. Ever so far in, till it got so as I should
ha' been stuck fast if I'd gone any farther."
"Then how could you turn round?"
"It was wider and higher a little bit this side of the narrow part, and
I made shift to double myself up pretty close and get round there."
"Then was it there you were stuck?" I asked.
"Yes, sir; but by a bit o' giving and taking I got round, and come out
face forrard, as you see."
"I am thankful," I murmured.
"Well, if you come to that, sir, I liked it better when I'd got face
outwards; for it arn't nice to feel yourself set fast in among a lot o'
cargo which may shift if the ship gives a roll, and there you are, just
like a blue-bottle shut in a big book, and come out next year flat and
dry."
"Why, you must be a thin 'un, Barney," growled Bob. "You'd better leave
the sea, and take to being first-class messenger to go up and down
steam-pipes."
"Be quiet, Bob!" I said angrily. "Here, tell me, Barney," I continued;
for now that the man was safe, the horror and nervousness of a terrible
accident rapidly passed away.
"Tell you what, sir?"
"Is it hopeless? Is there no chance of getting to the forecastle
bulk-head that way?"
"Well, sir, I can't say only that you know how far Neb Dumlow got, and
then how Bob Hampton got a little farther."
"Didn't," growled Dumlow.
"Now what's the good o' you talking, messmate? because he did, just a
bit farther," said Barney, in a tone full of protest. "You may just as
well say I didn't go three times as far."
"Nay, I won't say that, lad."
"'Cause I did; and arter the tight nip of a bit where them two stuck, it
were pretty easy, and I got along fast, though of course it's all ups
and downs like. Then there's the widish bit 'tween them two big cases,
where I twisted round; and after that the cargo's closer together, and
nigher the beams, till it got too stiff for me, and I give it up; for I
knowed that if I got stuck there, I should have to stay."
"Then there is a way on?" I said excitedly.
"Kind of a sort of a way, sir. I don't think I could ha' got along if
I'd tried ever so hard, 'cause the cargo's jammed up so close to the
roof; but a small sort o' man might do it, or p'r'aps I might if old
Frenchy keeps me here long enough to get precious thin."
"But a boy could get along?" I said.
"Oh yes, sir, I dessay a boy could; but don't you get thinking it's a
regular pipe or a passage, 'cause it arn't. It's all in and out, and
over chests and cases and things as don't fit together, or has got
settled down; and you have to feel all this as you go, and trust to the
tips of your fingers for leading of you right. It arn't as if there was
any light, you see; 'cause their ain't enough to show a mouse the way to
the inside of a Dutch cheese."
"Then if any one got along there far enough, he would come to the
forecastle bulk-head?" I said eagerly.
"Well, that I can't say, sir; 'cause, you see, he might find he had to
creep along right under the forksle floor, and the men's bunks."
"If he got to the place where our friends are, that would not matter," I
cried excitedly. "The distance must be very small."
"O' course, sir."
"But one moment, Barney. Could any of the cargo be pushed out of the
way, so as to make more room?"
"No, sir, for sartain, 'cause it's all wedged together, and there's
nowhere else to put it so as to make room."
"And I don't see, if one got there, that it could be a great deal of
good, because they couldn't get here, and we couldn't all get there."
"They seems to think it would be some good, sir," growled Barney,
"because they keeps on knocking. There they goes again."
For once more the tapping commenced, and was repeated impatiently as we
did not answer.
"Give 'em the sigginals, Bob," said Dumlow, gruffly.
The tapping was answered--three taps together, two, then one, and in all
manner of variations; till the others stopped, and so did we, and there
was silence till Bob spoke.
"That's all very pretty," he said; "but, you see, it don't lead to
nothing. They raps, and seems to say, Here we are! And then we raps,
and says, So are we! And so it goes on, over and over again, till you
don't know what they mean, or what you mean, or where you are. I wish
we could do something to make 'em understand as we're stuck fast."
"The only way to do that is to tell them so," I cried passionately.
"Even if nothing more comes of it, I feel as if it would be something to
feel that you can communicate with your friends when you like. We might
contrive something too, some means of escape. Yes, we must get to them,
my lads."
"Then you'll have to starve down, Barney, till you're as thin as a
skelington," said Bob, "and then have another try."
"All right, messmate, I'm willin'," said Barney, with a sigh. "I don't
like going without my wittles, but what we gets here arn't much to lose.
There you are then, Mr Dale, sir; starve me down till I'm small
enough."
"No, Barney," I said firmly; "there's no need. I'm small enough
already; and if you'll follow me for company as far as you can, and to
help me if possible, I will go myself. I said when you were in there
I'd try and help you; now you must try and help me. Will you come?"
"My hand on it, sir, if you'll shake it."