Ben and Dare found themselves in complete darkness. Their surprise at their sudden imprisonment robbed them of speech for the moment, then found expression.
"Here's a mess!" exclaimed Ben.
Dare nodded, then remembered that Ben could not see him in the dark. "We might have expected something like this," he said.
"Well, there'll be a reckoning, no fear of that," growled Ben angrily.
"So long as it's a reckoning we don't have to pay, I don't mind," said Dare, for Pierre's personality had impressed him and he could not help remembering the summary treatment handed out to his father.
"Never a fear. It won't be us who'll pay. Keep up your pecker, Mr. Dare."
"Not so loud, Ben," warned Dare in a whisper. "We don't know if anyone can hear us or not."
"Aye, that's so. A word in season. Well, we won't stay in the dark anyhow; I've got some matches."
Striking one of them, he looked round for a lamp. One was discovered hanging over the bed. It took only a moment to light it. By its glow they were enabled to examine more completely the room in which they were confined.
It had but one outlet: the door through which they had entered. One side of the room gave upon the hold; the other three walls were formed by the side of the ship and two strong partitions. The door was of mahogany and too strong to be forced. There were perforations above it, but that was the only way air could get in or out, for there was no port-hole or fanlight.