Supper was served me in front of the boilers, in company with the rest of the crew.  Later, I was assigned a sleeping space on the lower deck, barely wide enough to lie in, and was permitted to sit among the others, under the uptilt of the swinging gangway, listening to their boisterousness, and rough play, or watching the dusk of evening descend over the deserted waters, as the laboring steamer battled against the current.  It was a still, black night, and the Adventurer made extremely slow progress, a leadsman at the bow calling off the depth of water, and a huge light, rather ingeniously arranged, casting a finger of radiance along the ghostly shore line.  With no marks of guidance on either bank, the wheelsman felt his uncertain passage upward, advancing so cautiously progress was scarcely noticeable, and I could frequently distinguish the voice of the anxious captain from the upper deck, above the hiss of the steam, as he called some hasty warning.  In all probability we should have eventually been compelled to tie up against the bank, and await daylight, but for the disappearance of the heavy masses of clouds overhead, and the welcome gleam of myriads of stars, reflected along the smooth surface of the water.

Three times, at intervals, I made an effort to explore the second deck, but each time met with failure to accomplish my object.  The narrow space extending between rail and cabin never seemed entirely deserted, and my last attempt brought me face to face with Mapes, who very curtly ordered me below, accompanying his command with a profane request to remain there.  To protest, and thus possibly arouse the mate’s suspicion as to the purpose of my presence on board, would have resulted in greater damage to our cause than any probable peril of the coming night.  So I obeyed without a word, deeming it best to lie down quietly in the space allotted, and endeavor to think out some feasible plan for the morrow, rather than be caught again prowling around blindly in the dark.  To assist me in this decision Mapes hung about the lower deck, until satisfied that I had actually turned in.

But I made no effort to sleep, and my mind remained busy.  Even in the course of those brief excursions I had acquired some little information of value, and of a nature to leave me more at ease.  I was now convinced that Kirby, whatever might be his ultimate purpose regarding the girl, had no present intention of doing her further injury.  He contemplated no immediate attempt at forcible possession, and would be well satisfied if he could only continue to hold her in strict seclusion.  The thing he was guarding against now, and while they remained on board, was escape from discovery.