"Yer can't see," growled Dumlow.

"Well, I didn't mean with my eyes, Neb; so don't be so chuff on a fellow. I meant with my understanding."

"Don't. Don't get arguing together," I cried impatiently. "It is suffocating down here. I want to understand how we are placed, and I can't quite make it out yet."

"Well, sir, p'r'aps I can help you a bit," said Bob. "Seems to me as they pulled up a hatch and pitched us in, and then battened it down again."

"And where are our friends?"

"Why, they'd shove 'em where we shoved they, down in the forksle, I should say, unless they've stuffed 'em in the cable-tier."

"Yes, perhaps so," I said thoughtfully.

"Why, o' course," growled Dumlow.

"What? They are in the cable-tier?"

"Oh, I dunno, sir; I was a-thinking about our taking they wittles in the s'loon, and it's come back like sort o' bells ringing in my ear, and Mr Denning saying she's dying. Oh yes, I recklect that, and the doctor coming. That's 'bout as far as I can get."

"I 'member the wittles on the binnacle quite plain now," said Barney; "and, yes, o' course, I kep' coming over all soft like, and wantin' to sing songs, and listen to moosic, and couldn't sing; but it was all silver and gold and sunshine and beautiful birds in beautiful trees.

Yes, it's all right, sir. You see now, don't you, Neb?"

"No, I can't see nowt; but I dessay it's all right. I don't want to know; it don't matter to me."

"Hush!" I whispered. "There's that knocking again."

There it was quite plainly, and then came a repet.i.tion seemingly close at hand,--three smart taps as of knuckles on a chest.

"There's some one else, and quite near," I said in a low voice.

"No, my lad, that was me. Here's a big case behind me, and I let go on it."

There were three more taps at a distance.

"Knock again," I said, and this time Bob struck twice.

A few moments later there were distinctly heard two knocks.

"They heard us," I said, and answered. "Try again with one."

He struck once as loudly as he could, and we waited excitedly to hear one blow given apparently on a bulk-head.

"Those are our friends there," I cried excitedly.

"If it arn't old Frenchy gammoning us, sir," said Barney.

"I think it must be our friends," I said, feeling unwilling to give up the idea; and I was going to add something, when there came to us plainly enough the sound of feet pa.s.sing somewhere overhead, and directly after a voice shouted something, but what we could not hear.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

Our heads, on comparing notes, began to feel more bearable, and as the throbbing gradually died away we could feel that the effort to think was easier, while our thoughts were clearer, and before long we began to feel about so as to learn what kind of place we were in, and made out that it was an oblong kind of s.p.a.ce between cases, and with barrels underneath, and upon which we had been lying when we began to come to.

We could learn nothing further, and there were no replies now to the tappings we gave from time to time, a fact which made my heart sink rather low. For I knew that there must be some reason for this, and I was trying to puzzle it out, when Barney Blane said suddenly--

"Say, messmates, arn't it 'bout time as some 'un came round to feed the crew?"

"Ay," said Bob, "and the sooner they do it the better. I'm getting wild for want o' somethin' to stow in my hold. They've got to bring something too, or I'll soon let 'em know."

"Know what, Bob?" I said anxiously, for the man's voice sounded fierce and strange.

"Why, sir, they threatened us as to what they'd do; fired it right into my ear, Jarette did. He says to me he says, 'If yer don't soon let us out, I'll set fire to the ship.'"

"Yes, I know he did," I said.

"That's 'robborative evidence, messmates, when yer orficer says you're right. Well, then, what I says to him is this, I've got a box o'

matches in my pocket, and if they don't soon let us out, or put us somewhere so as we can breathe, I'll set the blessed old Burgh Castle alight myself and burn our way out."

"Nonsense," I cried; "you're mad."

"And 'nuff to make me, sir. That there stuff we took's set up a reg'lar fierce annymile or something in my inside, as goes on gnaw, gnaw, gnaw, till I shan't be able to stand it much longer, and shall have to break out."

"Well, you are a rum 'un, Bob," said Barney. "Why, you're not going to turn canniball, are yer, at your time o' life?"

"What d'yer mean?"

"Talking about eating your messmates."

"Who did? What yer talking about? n.o.body wouldn't want to eat you, Barney. If I wanted to get the flavour o' 'bacco in my mouth I'd get it from a quid, and while a man could get at a bit o' oak or an old shoe he wouldn't think o' trying to gnaw old Neb. What d'yer mean?"

"Then what d'yer talk o' roasting us for in that there mad way, matey?"

"Oh, well, I don't know as I meant it, messmate, but I'm that hungry just now as never was."

"That will do," I said, a.s.serting my position as officer. "Silence, please."

"All right, sir; all right," growled Bob. "I'm ready. What yer going to do?"

"Try and feel about, Bob, to find where the hatch is. We must get some air somehow."

"That's right, sir. Come on, lads, and have a try. Who's got knives?"

"I have," said Barney. "Me too," growled Dumlow. "That's right, then; we may have to use 'em."

Then a rustling sound began, and I knew that the men were feeling about overhead; while being able to think pretty clearly now, I came to the conclusion that we had been thrown down here, the hatches put on again, and the tarpaulin spread over them, and that was why it was so airless and hot.

I had an endors.e.m.e.nt of my opinion a minute later, for Bob growled out--