He answered this question by pulling out his knife and cutting off a piece of the meat. Another half-hour would have cooked it, but it was eatable to human necessity.
He stowed this provender away in the deck-house and filled the breaker from the scuttle-butt, then went with Julia to look at the bell.
"You did not hear it last night," he said.
"No," she answered.
"It shall not trouble you again," said he, and he unhooked it, and threw it down.
"But who struck it?" she asked.
"He'll not strike it again," he answered.
He peeped through the forescuttle and saw nothing but the gleam of black water washing below.
"The rats don't like this sort of thing," said he. "Can you pull upon a rope, Julia?"
"I am as strong as you," she answered.