“What? So it is. Never mind. After me! There’s the one in the forechains.”
In the midst of a loud buzz of voices, and the pad, pad—pad, pad of bare feet on the deck, Jem and Don reached the forechains; and Jem ran his hand along in the darkness till he felt the knot by which he had secured the rope.
“Here she is, Mas’ Don. Now, then, over with you quick, or I shall be a-top of your head.”
“I’ve got it,” whispered Don.
Then in a voice full of despair,—
“This is cut, too!”
At the same moment the captain’s voice rang out,—
“Look out there, you in the watch forward; two men are trying to leave the ship!”