Oho! for the maids of Spain!”
Then after a pause: “Curse this mist!” I heard him mutter. And precisely at this moment came a thundering knock upon the cabin door behind me and a gruff voice calling upon the mate to open.
’Twas no time to hesitate; at the risk of being seen by the helmsman above me—at the risk of my wound reopening—I launched myself out upon my frail support and let myself down into the darkness.
It seemed an eternity ere my feet touched the bow of the boat below, but once I had clambered aboard a few strokes of my knife served to sever the rope, and a moment later the light in the cabin of the Scourge disappeared into the fog, leaving me alone upon the waste of waters. Not till then did I seize the oars, and pulling the boat’s head round commence to row gently in the opposite direction to that which the vessel had taken.
Blacker and blacker closed the night around me, until I could scarcely see the full length of the boat. Presently the mist changed into rain, that grew ever in volume until I was soon drenched to the skin. In this condition, worn out and shivering in my wet clothes, I continued for many hours, until gradually a numbness began to steal over me. In vain I struggled against it. Slowly it grew upon me despite my efforts, until at length, careless of what fate might befall me, I stretched myself in the bottom of the boat and lapsed into unconsciousness.
“Boat ahoy!”
The cry came pealing across the water and was still ringing in my ears when my scattered senses returned to me. I raised my head above the thwart and gazed about me, as yet but half awakened. Darkness had given place to a grey and misty dawn and the rain had ceased to fall. But almost immediately my eyes fell upon that which effectually aroused me.
At a short distance away a small brig lay to upon the water, a dozen curious faces looking down upon me from the low bulwarks. Upon the raised poop astern two men were standing, gazing earnestly in my direction. One was short and thick set, with sailor written plainly upon his weather-beaten countenance. The other was to all appearance a gentleman, though his tall figure was concealed by a long riding coat; and I could see little of his face beneath his richly laced hat. ’Twas the shorter of the two who had hailed me.
“Ahoy!” he cried again in stentorian tones. “Can ye row aboard?”