“What sort of a Thing is it ‘as done that, Sir?” he went on.  “An’ then yer arsks us ter go up agen!  It aren’t likely as we’re in a ’urry.”

The Second Mate looked at Plummer, and surely, as I have before mentioned, the poor beggar was in a state; his ripped-up shirt was fairly flapping in the breeze that came through the doorway.

The Second looked; yet he said nothing.  It was as though the realisation of Plummer’s condition had left him without a word more to say.  It was Plummer himself who finally broke the silence.

“I’ll come with yer, Sir,” he said.  “Only yer ought ter ’ave more light than them two lanterns.  ’Twon’t be no use, unless we ’as plenty er light.”

The man had grit; and I was astonished at his offering to go, after what he must have gone through.  Yet, I was to have even a greater astonishment; for, abruptly, The Skipper—­who all this time had scarcely spoken—­stepped forward a pace, and put his hand on the Second Mate’s shoulder.

“I’ll come with you, Mr. Tulipson,” he said.

The Second Mate twisted his head round, and stared at him a moment, in astonishment.  Then he opened his mouth.

“No, Sir; I don’t think—­” he began.

“That’s sufficient, Mr. Tulipson,” the Old Man interrupted.  “I’ve made up my mind.”

He turned to the First Mate, who had stood by without a word.

“Mr. Grainge,” he said.  “Take a couple of the ’prentices down with you, and pass out a box of blue-lights and some flare-ups.”

The Mate answered something, and hurried away into the Saloon, with the two ’prentices in his watch.  Then the Old Man spoke to the men.

“Now, men!” he began.  “This is no time for dilly-dallying.  The Second Mate and I will go aloft, and I want about half a dozen of you to come along with us, and carry lights.  Plummer and Jessop here, have volunteered.  I want four or five more of you.  Step out now, some of you!”

There was no hesitation whatever, now; and the first man to come forward was Quoin.  After him followed three of the Mate’s crowd, and then old Jaskett.

“That will do; that will do,” said the Old Man.

He turned to the Second Mate.

“Has Mr. Grainge come with those lights yet?” he asked, with a certain irritability.

“Here, Sir,” said the First Mate’s voice, behind him in the Saloon doorway.  He had the box of blue-lights in his hands, and behind him, came the two boys carrying the flares.

The Skipper took the box from him, with a quick gesture, and opened it.

“Now, one of you men, come here,” he ordered.

One of the men in the Mate’s watch ran to him.

He took several of the lights from the box, and handed them to the man.

“See here,” he said.  “When we go aloft, you get into the foretop, and keep one of these going all the time, do you hear?”

“Yes, Sir,” replied the man.