make him out,
he has only to keep on diving and, in the dark, there would be
little chance of their hitting him. Besides, they certainly
couldn't make out that it was a swimmer. If they noticed a ripple
in the water, they would be sure to think it was a fish of some
sort."

Bob continued to urge that he should be allowed to try it and, at
last, Captain Lockett agreed to his doing so. It was already almost
dark enough for the attempt to be made, and Bob prepared at once
for the swim. He took off his coat, waistcoat, and shirt; and put
on a dark knitted jersey, fastened a belt tightly round his waist,
over his breeches, and took off his shoes.

"If I am seen," he said, "you are sure to hear them hailing, or
shouting; and then please show a lantern over the stern," for,
slight as the current was, it sufficed to make the vessel swing
head to west.

A rope was lowered over the side and, by this, he slipped down
quietly into the water, which was perfectly warm. Then he struck
off noiselessly, in the direction of the ship. He kept the two
masts of the brig in one, as long as he could make them out but,
owing to the mist on the water, he soon lost sight of her; but he
had no difficulty in keeping a straight course, as he could plainly
hear the sound of voices, ahead of him. Taking the greatest pains
to avoid making the slightest splash, and often pausing to listen,
Bob swam on until he saw a dark mass looming up in front of him.

Illustration: Bob swims off to the Spanish Warship.

He now did little more than float, giving a gentle stroke,
occasionally, and drifting towards it until he grasped the cable.

He now listened intently. There were voices on the fo'castle, above
him; and he determined, before trying to climb up there, to swim
round the vessel--keeping close to her side, so that he could not
be seen, unless someone leaned far over the bulwark. Halfway along
he came upon a projection and, looking up, saw that slabs of wood,
three inches wide, were fixed against the side, at intervals of a
foot apart; so as to form an accommodation ladder, when it was not
considered necessary to lower a gangway. Two hand ropes hung by the
side of it.

His way was now easy. He drew himself out of the water by the
ropes, and ascended the ladder; then crawled along outside the
bulwark until he came to a porthole, from which a gun projected;
then he crawled in there, and lay under the cannon.

Two or three lanterns were suspended