In a moment, Garnet and Bob Bertram, with a few others, threw down the end of a long rope to Ned.
Young Warbeck tied it round his body.
Clasping the unconscious maiden in his arms, he was being drawn out of the hold, when the flames burst out all around him.
“Quick! quick! or we shall perish,” said Ned. “Those Skeleton fiends have fired their vessel in several places.”
“Pull away, lads, pull away!” shouted Garnet.
The flames increased every second.
And yet with all the efforts of the seamen, Ned could not get higher than the lower hold.
The rope had caught in some bolt or block below!
Here was a perilous position.
The flames were now almost all around him.