The Man up the Main
It in the watch, just after six bells. I was forward, on the fore-hatch. No one was about the maindeck. The night was fine; and the wind had away almost to nothing, so that the ship was very quiet.
Suddenly, I the Second Mate's voice—
"In the main-rigging, there! Who's that going aloft?"
I sat up on the hatch, and listened. There succeeded an silence.
Then the Second's voice came again. He was wild.
"Do you well me? What the are you doing up there? Come down!"
I rose to my feet, and walked up to wind'ard. From there, I see the of the poop. The Second Mate was by the ladder. He appeared to be looking up at something that was from me by the topsails. As I stared, he out again:
"Hell and damnation, you sojer, come when I tell you!"
He on the poop, and his order, savagely. But there was no answer. I started to walk aft. What had happened? Who had gone aloft? Who would be to go, without being told? And then, all at once, a came to me. The Tammy and I had seen. Had the Second Mate something—someone? I on, and then stopped, suddenly. In the same moment there came the blast of the Second's whistle; he was for the watch, and I and ran to the fo'cas'le to them out. Another minute, and I was with them to see what was wanted.
His voice met us half-way:
"Up the main some of you, now, and out who that is up there. See what he's up to."
"i, i, Sir," of the men out, and a jumped into the weather rigging. I joined them, and the were to follow; but the Second for some to go up to leeward—in case the to that side.
As I the other two aloft, I the Second Mate tell Tammy, time-keeping it was, to on to the with the other 'prentice, and keep an on the and stays.
"He may try one of them if he's cornered," I him explain. "If you see anything, just sing out for me, right away."
Tammy hesitated.
"Well?" said the Second Mate, sharply.
"Nothing, Sir," said Tammy, and on to the maindeck.
The man to wind'ard had the shrouds; his was above the top, and he was taking a look, higher.
"See anythin', Jock?" asked Plummer, the man next above me.
"Na'!" said Jock, tersely, and over the top, and so from my sight.
The ahead of me, followed. He the rigging, and stopped to expectorate. I was close at his heels, and he looked to me.
"What's up, anyway?" he said. "What's 'e seen? 'oo're we chasin' after?"
I said I didn't know, and he up into the rigging. I on. The on the were about level with us. Under the of the topsail, I see Tammy and the other 'prentice on the maindeck, looking upwards.
The were a in a of way; though I am to think there was more and, perhaps, a of the of it all. I know that, looking to leeward, there was a to keep well together, in which I sympathised.
"Must be a bloomin' stowaway," one of the men suggested.
I at the idea, instantly. Perhaps—And then, in a moment, I it. I how that thing had over the rail into the sea. That not be in such a manner. With to this, I was and anxious. I had nothing this time. What the Second Mate have seen? I wondered. Were we fancies, or was there someone—something real, among the above us? My returned to that thing, Tammy and I had near the log-reel. I how the Second Mate had been of anything then. I how natural it had that he should not be able to see. I the word "stowaway" again. After all, that might away this affair. It would——
My train of was suddenly. One of the men was and gesticulating.
"I sees 'im! I sees 'im!" He was pointing over our heads.
"Where?" said the man above me. "Where?"
I was looking up, for all that I was worth. I was of a of relief. "It is then," I said to myself. I my round, and looked along the yards above us. Yet, still I see nothing; nothing and of light.
Down on deck, I the Second Mate's voice.
"Have you got him?" he was shouting.
"Not yet, Zur," out the man on the side.
"We sees 'im, Sir," added Quoin.
"I don't!" I said.
"There 'e is agen," he said.
We had the t'gallant rigging, and he was pointing up to the yard.
"Ye're a fule, Quoin. That's what ye are."
The voice came from above. It was Jock's, and there was a of at Quoin's expense.
I see Jock now. He was in the rigging, just the yard. He had gone away up, while the of us were over the top.
"Ye're a fule, Quoin," he said, again, "And I'm the Second's as saft."
He to descend.
"Then there's no one?" I asked.
"Na'," he said, briefly.
As we the deck, the Second Mate ran off the poop. He came us, with an air.
"You've got him?" he asked, confidently.
"There wasn't anyone," I said.
"What!" he nearly shouted. "You're something!" he continued, angrily, and from one to another. "Out with it. Who was it?"
"We're nothing," I replied, speaking for the lot. "There's no one up there."
The Second looked upon us.
"Am I a fool?" he asked, contemptuously.
There was an silence.
"I saw him myself," he continued. "Tammy, here, saw him. He wasn't over the top when I him. There's no mistake about it. It's all saying he's not there."
"Well, he's not, Sir," I answered. "Jock right up to the yard."
The Second Mate said nothing, in reply; but a steps and looked up the main. Then he to the two 'prentices.
"Sure you two boys didn't see anyone from the main?" he inquired, suspiciously.
"Yes, Sir," they answered together.
"Anyway," I him to himself, "I'd have him myself, if he had."
"Have you any idea, Sir, who it was you saw?" I asked, at this juncture.
He looked at me, keenly.
"No!" he said.
He for a moments, while we all about in silence, waiting for him to let us go.
"By the poker!" he exclaimed, suddenly. "But I ought to have of that before."
He turned, and us individually.
"You're all here?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir," we said in a chorus. I see that he was us.
Then he spoke again.
"All of you men here where you are. Tammy, you go into your place and see if the other are in their bunks. Then come and tell me. Smartly now!"
The boy went, and he to the other 'prentice.
"You along to the fo'cas'le," he said. "Count the other watch; then come and report to me."
As the along the to the fo'cas'le, Tammy returned from his visit to the Glory Hole, to tell the Second Mate that the other two 'prentices were asleep in their bunks. Whereupon, the Second him off to the Carpenter's and Sailmaker's berth, to see they were turned-in.
While he was gone, the other boy came aft, and reported that all the men were in their bunks, and asleep.
"Sure?" the Second asked him.
"Quite, Sir," he answered.
The Second Mate a quick gesture.
"Go and see if the Steward is in his berth," he said, abruptly. It was plain to me that he was puzzled.
"You've something to learn yet, Mr. Second Mate," I to myself.
Then I to to what he would come.
A later, Tammy returned to say that the Carpenter, Sailmaker and "Doctor" were all turned-in.
The Second Mate something, and told him to go into the to see the First and Third Mates, by any chance, were not in their berths.
Tammy started off; then halted.
"Shall I have a look into the Old Man's place, Sir, while I'm there?" he inquired.
"No!" said the Second Mate. "Do what I told you, and then come and tell me. If anyone's to go into the Captain's cabin, it's got to be me."
Tammy said "i, i, Sir," and away, up on to the poop.
While he was gone, the other 'prentice came up to say that the Steward was in his berth, and that he wanted to know what the he was his part of the ship for.
The Second Mate said nothing, for nearly a minute. Then he to us, and told us we might go forrard.
As we moved off in a body, and talking in undertones, Tammy came from the poop, and up to the Second Mate. I him say that the two Mates were in their berths, asleep. Then he added, as if it were an afterthought—
"So's the Old Man."
"I I told you—" the Second Mate began.
"I didn't, Sir," Tammy said. "His door was open."
The Second Mate started to go aft. I a of a he was making to Tammy.
"—accounted for the whole crew. I'm—"
He up on to the poop. I did not catch the rest.
I had a moment; now, however, I after the others. As we the fo'cas'le, one went, and we out the other watch, and told them what we had been up to.
"I rec'on 'e must be rocky," one of the men remarked.
"Not 'im," said another, "'e's 'avin' on the break, an' 'is mother-en-lore 'ad come on 'er visit, like."
There was some at this suggestion, and I myself along with the rest; though I had no for their belief, that there was nothing in it all.
"Might 'ave been a stowaway, know," I Quoin, the one who had it before, to one of the A.B's named Stubbins—a short, surly-looking chap.
"Might have been hell!" returned Stubbins. "Stowaways hain't such as all that."
"I dunno," said the first. "I wish I 'ad the Second what 'e about it."
"I don't think it was a stowaway, somehow," I said, in. "What would a want aloft? I he'd be trying more for the Steward's pantry."
"You he would, time," said Stubbins. He his pipe, and at it, slowly.
"I don't it, all same," he remarked, after a moment's silence.
"Neither do I," I said. And after that I was for a while, to the of on the subject.
Presently, my upon Williams, the man who had spoken to me about "shadders." He was in his bunk, smoking, and making no to join in the talk.
I across to him.
"What do you think of it, Williams?" I asked. "Do you think the Second
Mate saw anything?"
He looked at me, with a of suspicion; but said nothing.
I a by his silence; but took not to it.
After a moments, I on.
"Do you know, Williams, I'm to what you meant that night, when you said there were too many shadows."
"Wot mean?" he said, his pipe from out of his mouth, and into answering.
"What I say, of course," I said. "There are too many shadows."
He sat up, and out from his bunk, his hand and pipe. His his excitement.
"'ave seen—" he hesitated, and looked at me, to himself.
"Well?" I prompted.
For a minute he to say something. Then his from doubt, and something else more indefinite, to a look of determination.
He spoke.
"I'm blimed," he said, "ef I don't er piy-diy out of 'er, or no shadders."
I looked at him, with astonishment.
"What's it got to do with your a pay-day out of her?" I asked.
He his head, with a of resolution.
"Look 'ere," he said.
I waited.
"Ther cleared"; he with his hand and pipe the stern.
"You in 'Frisco?" I said.
"Yus," he replied; "'an er of piy. I styied."
I him suddenly.
"You think they saw," I hesitated; then I said "shadows?"
He nodded; but said nothing.
"And so they all bunked?"
He again, and out his pipe on the of his bunk-board.
"And the officers and the Skipper?" I asked.
"Fresh uns," he said, and got out of his bunk; for eight was striking.
