They were in the midst of the adventure now and their blood answered to the thrill of it.
They worked swiftly, talking little. Not for nothing had they been kept prisoners in that hold, forced to live for days out of food taken from the boxes.
For the first time since they had been thrown into the place the boys began to be thankful for their experience. It certainly stood them in good stead now.
Scarcely need even for a light, though Bobby struck a match now and then when they couldn’t remember the exact location of something they wanted.
“What are we going to carry them all in?” asked Fred, coming close to Bobby. “I’ve got more than I can manage.”
“Here! Take this,” ordered Bobby briskly, and thrust something rough into his hands. “It’s an empty sack,” he explained. “Dump everything into it and we’ll sort the things out later.” In an amazingly short space of time the feat had been accomplished, the longboat was fully provisioned with ship’s biscuit, fresh water, and enough canned goods to keep them going for a long time if they were careful.
“Pretty neat, I call it,” whispered Billy exultantly. “Got by the watch without half trying. Say! What’s that?”
Some one was approaching slowly but steadily along the deck. They knew by his peculiar stride that it was the second mate.
The boys did not linger to greet him. A moment later they had disappeared, as completely as though the deck had opened and let them through.