Part 52 (2/2)

”Jem!” in a tone of despair

”What is it!”

”The rope's cut!”

”What? So it is Never mind After me! There's the one in the forechains”

In the midst of a loud buzz of voices, and the pad, pad--pad, pad of bare feet on the deck, Je in the darkness till he felt the knot by which he had secured the rope

”Here she is, Mas' Don Now, then, over with you quick, or I shall be a-top of your head”

”I've got it,” whispered Don

Then in a voice full of despair,--

”This is cut, too!”

At the sa out,--

”Look out there, you in the watch forward; twoto leave the shi+p!”

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

WHAT MR JONES THOUGHT

”What's to be done, Mas' Don?” whispered Jeainst them seemed to have robbed of the power to act

”This way,” cried a voice, which they recognised as Ramsden's ”By the forechains”

”Oh, if I had hold of you,” snarled Jeround his teeth

”Do you hear me?” whispered Don ”Come on”

He spoke fro by one of the shrouds, and offering his hand to Jem, who could not see it, but climbed to his side

”Header?” he whispered

”Yes--Off!”

Don gave the word as he glanced in the direction where he believed the canoe to lie; and then, raising his hands above his head, he sprang right off the bulwark into the sea