After some moments he steeled his nerves and essayed to cross the cabin.
Horrors!
The hideous corpses came rushing about him, striking him and brushing by in unwelcome contact.
For an instant, overcome with the horror of the moment, Frank struck out right and left fighting the corpses away.
Thus he had made his way half across the cabin floor when a strange thing happened.
There was a sudden terrific shock, he was hurled upon his face, and for a few seconds was stunned.
When he came to he regained his feet and started for the cabin stairs. His one thought was that something terrible had happened.
To find out what this was from Barney and Clifford was his first purpose.
He sprung up the stairs, but came to a sudden halt.
His progress was barred. His head struck the hatch above. It was closed.