self closer, and touched it by giving a kick against the
stern. I got my feet close together, and rested on the knot, which,
small though it was, gave me a great deal of support. I contrived, too,
that my hands should also rest above a knot, and in this position I had
to wait again and again, for the turning round motion kept on slowly, so
that for the greater part of the time I was looking right away from the
windows. In addition, there was the swaying movement of the great boom
from which I was suspended, carrying me to and fro across the stern.

I dare not call out, and unless I swayed myself towards the stern I
could not reach the windows, so I was rapidly beginning to find that
what had promised to be the easiest part of my task was proving itself
to be the hardest, when, probably from a turn of the wheel, the ship
made quite a plunge. The big sail with its boom swung heavily, and of
course communicated its motion to me, so that as the cord turned in its
horribly giddy way, I first rode from side to side, and then by degrees
to and fro, with the result that when nearest, I made a dash with one
hand to tap on the window opposite to me; but being unable to govern the
force exercised, my hand went right through the pane, and the glass fell
tinkling to the floor within.

The perspiration stood out upon my face as I heard above me Bob
Hampton's voice cry--

"Hullo! What's that?"

Almost at the same moment the cabin-window was opened, I had a faint
glimpse of a face looking as if out of black mist, and Mr Frewen's
voice said softly--

"Quick, some one; a knife."

"He's going to cut the rope," I thought, and I tried to shout, but it
was like being in a nightmare: my tongue felt paralysed, and as I hung
there clinging wildly to the rope I heard voices on deck.

"What is it? Trying to get out?" some one cried, and Bob Hampton said
in answer--

"Dunno! Breaking glass."

"Where? The cabin-windows?"

"Yes."

But while this was going on, some one leaned out of the window, and the
rope was seized. Then I felt it jar as if a knife-blade was being used
upon it, and this as I had turned round, and my back was toward the
window.

Then my voice came back with the power to speak, and in a quick whisper
I said, as I felt that in another instant I should fall into the sea--

"Mr Frewen!--help!"

There was a quick ejaculation, and the sound of something dropped into
the water; but at the same moment I felt my