"I shall go up, for one, Sir," he said, quietly.
Then he turned back to the crowd of us.
"Tammy," he sung out. "Get a couple of lamps out of the lamp-locker."
"i, i, Sir," Tammy replied, and ran off.
"Now," said the Second Mate, addressing us. "I want a couple of men to jump aloft along with me and take a look for Stubbins."
Not a man replied. I would have liked to step out and offer; but the memory of that horrible clutch was with me, and for the life of me, I could not summon up the courage.
"Come! come, men!" he said. "We can't leave him up there. We shall take lanterns. Who'll come now?"
I walked out to the front. I was in a horrible funk; but, for very shame, I could not stand back any longer.
"I'll come with you, Sir," I said, not very loud, and feeling fairly twisted up with nervousness.
"That's more the tune, Jessop!" he replied, in a tone that made me glad
I had stood out.