its brightness for some five minutes; then it
died away suddenly, and on the spot whence it had come I could just
distinguish the dark hull of a steamer. To my vast consolation, she had
two funnels and three masts, and I remembered that Black's boat had but
one funnel and two masts, so that good fortune seemed to have come to
me at last. Over-delighted with the discovery, I stood up at my risk in
the jolly-boat and waved my arms wildly; when, as if in answer, the
search-light flashed out again and bathed me in its refulgent beams.
Some moments, long moments to me, passed in feverish conjecture; and
then in the pathway of the light I saw in all distinctness the outline
of a long-boat, fully manned, and she was coming straight to me. There
could be no more doubt of it; I had passed through much suffering, but
it was all child's play to the "might have been"; and in the reaction I
laughed aloud like an hysterical woman, and blushed to remember those
great tears which had rolled over my face not an hour gone. And all the
time I never took my eyes from the boat; but feasted on it as a
beggar-child feasts in imagination on the gauds of a groaning table.
Its progress seemed slow, wofully slow; the men in it made me no manner
of signal, never gave an answer to my erratic hand-waving; but, what
was of more consequence, they came in a bee-line towards me, and the
radiating light never moved once whilst they rowed. In the end, I
myself broke the silence, shouting lustily to them, but getting no
answer until I had repeated the call thrice. The fourth cry, loud and
in something desperate, brought the response so eagerly awaited; but
when I recognised the voice of him who then hailed me I fell down again
in my boat with a heart-stricken burst of sorrow, for the voice was the
Irishman's, and Four-Eyes spoke--

"Avast hailin', young 'un," he cried; "we ain't agoin' to part along o'
your society no more, don't you be frettin'."

They dragged me into their boat, and taking my own in tow, they rowed
rapidly to the distant steamer, on whose deck I stood presently; but
not without profound fear, for I knew that at last I was a prisoner on
the nameless ship.

CHAPTER XIV.

A CABIN IN SCARLET.

There was light from six lanterns, held by giant negroes, to greet me
when I had mounted the ladder and was at last on the deck of the great
ship; but none of the men spoke a word, nor could I see their faces. Of
those who had brought me