rrupted Dyer in his turn, placing a
restraining hand on George's arm as he spoke, and in the silence that
ensued there came to their ears from behind them a low, intermittent,
grating sound, like--like what? Well, as much like some rough substance
being slowly dragged over the poop rail, immediately behind them, as
anything to which they could compare it.

"Who be you, and what be 'e doin' there?" demanded Dyer, dashing across
the deck. But he was just too late, for a moment before he reached the
rail the sound ceased, and he found nothing. But the horrible odour--
something between putrid fish and decaying seaweed--was stronger than
ever.

"You, bo's'un, haul up thicky lantern and bring un along here, quick,"
yelled Dyer. "Whatever 'tis that's raising this here smell, 'tis
alongside the ship, and 'tis _alive_! And come up here, half a dozen o'
you men down there in the waist--and bring axes wi' ye."

The boatswain quickly hauled up his lantern, and, accompanied by some
ten or a dozen of the bolder spirits among the crew--the latter having
hastily armed themselves with axes and pikes from the racks--hurried up
to the poop, and a few moments later George and Dyer were curiously
examining with the aid of the lantern's feeble light certain fresh
excoriations on the poop rail which looked as though they might have
been produced by a large and very coarse rasp forcibly drawn over it,
while the men with pikes and axes crowded close up behind them, peering
eagerly over their shoulders. They were still thus engaged when there
suddenly flashed up over the rail a long slim, snake-like object, the
precise nature of which it was impossible to determine in the intense
darkness only faintly dissipated by the inefficient light of the
lantern, and while all hands stood gaping dazedly at it the thing curled
in over the rail, lightly touched the boatswain upon the chest, and
instantly with a lightning-like movement coiled itself tightly about his
body, encircling his arms and shoulders.

The man gave vent to a yell of dismay as he felt the coil of the
horrible thing tighten round him, and the next instant screamed, in a
voice hoarse and sharpened by terror:

"He've a-got me! He've a-got me and 's dragging of me overside! Hold
on to me, dear souls, and don't let mun take me. Oh! I be goin'--he'm
squeezin' the very life out o' me--save me, shipmates, save--"

_Crunch_! George had snatched an axe out of the hand of one of t