Mindful of 'Enery's warning, I gave the two massive hempen ropes a wide berth, and, leaning against a stout rib, resumed my vigil, till the heat of the confined space caused me to doff the oilskins and sea boots.

Presently the brig gave a distinct heel, which gradually increased till my position was turned into a standing one. Sail had been made, and the vessel was lying over to the breeze, though, owing to being still within a landlocked expanse of water, she scarce lifted as she cut through the waves. I could distinctly hear the lapping of the water against her sides as she moved with increasing pace in response to the pressure on the additional canvas.

Presently, in apparent obedience to a hoarse order, the Golden Hope recovered her upright position, then gradually settled down in the other direction, till, unable to keep my feet, I found myself flung bodily against the opposite side, the lantern being overset and extinguished at the same time.

Frantic with the fall, I struggled violently to regain my feet, my head coming into contact with one of the coils of cable. For a moment I imagined that the vessel had capsized, till, finding that she rolled no farther, I came to the conclusion that she had turned on her course.

Such, in truth, was the case. The brig had tacked, or, to use a nautical expression, had "gone about", the direction of the wind and the narrowness of the channel making the operation necessary. But I knew nothing of this at the time.

Groping with my hand, I managed to find the lantern, but being without flint and steel I was unable to relight it; so in the almost pitch darkness I remained, my eyes fixed longingly on a faint white light that filtered through a badly-fitting hatch cover.

Fearing another flight across the hold when the vessel again tacked, I lay almost at full length on the rough floor, my shoeless feet wedged firmly against a stout ringbolt in the fore side of the bulkhead.

The effects of the excitement of the last twelve hours, combined with the want of a good meal and the close, unwholesome atmosphere of the hold, caused me to feel greatly distressed, and at length I fell into a kind of stupor.

I had a rude awakening. A sniffing sensation round my fingers was followed by a sharp bite. With a shriek I withdrew my hand, and immediately a loathsome, active creature fled across my prostrate body. It was a rat, and a huge one, judging by its weight.

Regardless of my instructions, I sprang to my feet, leaped over the bulkhead, and crawled across the neatly stowed cargo, bumping my crown more than once against the low deck beams. I was on the point of hammering against the hatch, when the thought occurred to me that it was yet too early to announce my presence.

My new position was also more bearable, for the light that came through the ill-fitting hatch was sufficient for me to see within a yard of where I crouched.

Meanwhile, the brig had tacked several times, so that by now the manoeuvre did not cause me any misgivings; but what did trouble me was the appearance of a regular swarm of rodents--not of the brown variety such as one meets in the country, but long, skinny, black rats, ferocious and daring in the extreme.

I looked about for a weapon, for although I carried about me the knife I had had fashioned from the fatal dagger, it did not seem sufficiently handy to tackle these loathsome creatures. To my great joy I espied a stout crowbar, left, no doubt, by the men who had stowed the cargo. With this I killed several of the brutes, though not before I was bitten more than once, for as I struck one another would fly straight at my throat, and only by warding it off with my arm was I able to finish it off with the iron rod.

At length the rodents drew away and left me in comparative peace, although I could hear them scuffling and squealing as the disturbed bilge-water drove them from their accustomed haunts.

Compared with the rats, the cockroaches could be endured without much effort. These verminous creatures swarmed everywhere--on the deck beams, over the cargo, and even on my person--so that I could scarce change my posture without feeling and hearing the sickening crunch as they were crushed beneath my body.

All at once a violent commotion, accompanied by a medley of sounds, came from the fore part of the hold. The hempen cable was rushing through the hawse pipe.

Then the brig trembled slightly and ceased to list, and when the clamour died away I heard a man shout:

"'Tis no use, Cap'n. I couldn't get another foot out of her."

"How long does the flood make?" asked a voice which I recognized as Captain Jeremy's.

"First high water is about five hours from now," replied the first speaker. "If the wind doesn't change we'll have to wait till then. That'll give you an hour and a half to clear the bar afore the second flood makes."

I heard Captain Miles rattle out a round oath, but further conversation was inaudible through the sounds on deck. Nevertheless, I had heard enough to fill my cup of misery to the brim: unless the wind changed sufficiently to enable her to stem the tide, the Golden Hope would be compelled to remain at anchor for five hours--five hours more of bodily and mental torture for me.

Yet I had to bear it, or own myself beaten, for I felt convinced that so long as the brig remained within the limits of Poole Harbour, Captain Jeremy would put me ashore in a longboat, or else send me back with the pilot.

Another hour or so passed, yet there were no signs of 'Enery. The heat began to be intense, for the sun was now as high in the heavens as it could possibly be, and its rays, pouring down upon the decks, caused the atmosphere of the hold to become stifling.

The wind, too, had dropped, for the ropes and sails no longer rattled and flapped. But Captain Jeremy was not the kind of man to allow his crew to remain idle, for I could hear water being poured on the deck to clean away the dirt brought aboard from the quay. This, to a certain extent, cooled the hold, and I felt all the better for it.

"A breeze! A breeze from the nor'east!" I heard a voice exclaim, and almost immediately after came the sounds of men rushing hither and thither, and the creaking of blocks and tackle. Then, with the measured tramp of feet as the capstan revolved, the cable descended slowly into its tier, adding to the odours of the hold the pungent smells of seaweed and mud.

The regular heel of the brig gave place to a confused pitching and tossing, signs that I hailed with delight, in spite of a qualmish sensation which the motion seemed to encourage.

The Golden Hope had crossed the bar, and was curtsying to the waves of the English Channel.

I waited a little longer, then began pounding on the hatch with the butt of the iron rod.

At first no notice was taken of my efforts; then, without apparent warning, the hatch was whipped off. A flash of dazzling sunshine temporarily blinded me, and before I could realize my surroundings rough hands seized me by the shoulders and dragged me on deck, while a man shouted:

"Cap'n, here's a blessed stowaway!"