impressed by its lightness and sea-going qualities, and inspired by the thought it might eventually aid in our escape.  It hung ready for launching, the falls easily unhooked, and two pair of hands would be sufficient to lower it into the water.  There was a locker forward I was unable to reach, but two water kegs, filled, were strapped under the stern sheets, leading me to believe the craft was fully equipped for immediate service.  My mind filled with a daring hope by this discovery, I fastened the note to the end of the cord, weighted it with a bunch of keys, and crept back to where I had marked the rail.  Inch by inch I payed out the line, leaning well over.  At last my ears detected the dangling of the metallic keys against glass, and, by manipulating the rope, managed to make them sound with clear insistence.  I repeated the effort several times before there was any response.  Then the port seemed to be opened cautiously, although no gleam of light shot forth.  She had evidently extinguished her lamp before venturing to answer the signal, but I felt her grasp on the cord.  Then it was left dangling against the closed port, leaving me to infer that she was reading the hasty note.

I must have hung there gazing down into the black shadows for two or three minutes, before my line was again hauled taut, but, as I straightened up, prepared to haul up the returning message, I saw the shadow of a man passing across the cabin below.  He was already at the foot of the companion stairs; in another minute would be on deck.  There was no time to do otherwise, and I released my grasp of the rope, letting it drop silently into the water.  I had barely turned my back to the rail when Henley emerged within six feet of me.  For an instant his gaze was forward, and then, as his eyes accustomed themselves to the darkness, he turned slightly and perceived me, peering at me in uncertainty.

“Who is this?  Oh, you, Craig,” he questioned sharply.  “Not asleep yet?”

“Not even drowsy,” I said, pretending an ease I was far from feeling.  “The crack on my head yesterday pains considerable, and besides I wanted to think over your proposition a bit.”

“You must have the skull of an elephant, or a negro, to have any head at all,” he agreed, apparently satisfied.  “But I would advise sleep nevertheless.  You think favorably of my plan, I hope.”

“I see no reason to refuse, if the pay is all right.”

“It will be; trust me for that.  A beautiful night this—­the air as soft as June.  I was about to turn in, but decided to take a whiff on deck first.”

“Rather a captain’s duty, is it not?”

“I believe so, in regular service, but this is decidedly irregular.  The fact is, that while I am the owner of this vessel, and technically in command, I am no navigator.  I merely give my general orders, and trust the seamanship to Herman.  He is perfectly trustworthy and capable, and I never interfere.  The last voyage I doubt if I was on deck twice, although, of course,” he added soberly, “my word goes if I should care to exercise authority.”