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And even as I called, Plummer's foot reaching down through the gloom alighted full on my upturned face. I let go from the rigging with my right hand, and struck furiously at his leg, cursing him for his clumsiness. He lifted his foot, and in the same instant a sentence from Stubbins floated down to me, with a strange distinctness: "For God's sake tell 'em to get down hon deck!" he was shouting.
The coat of the Doctor's which I was wearing was so large for me that I kept treading on my own coat-tails while I was helping to fetch the wood up from the cellar. But very soon we had a huge big fire blazing up the chimney and we hung our wet clothes around on chairs. "Now let's cook some supper," said the Doctor. "You'll stay and have supper with me, Stubbins, of course?"
Wiggs and penned by Lovey Mary, were promptly and satisfactorily answered. The original of the spirit picture proved to be one Mr. Stubbins, "a prominent citizen of Bagdad Junction who desired to marry some one in the city. The lady must be of good character and without incumbrances." "That's all right," Mrs. Wiggs had declared; "you needn't have no incumbrances.
Stubbins!" I shouted. "Look out!" "What's up now?" he called, in a startled voice. At the same instant, his cap went whirling away to leeward. "Damn the wind!" he burst out. Then all at once, Jacobs, who had only been giving an occasional moan, commenced to shriek and struggle. "Hold fast onto him!" Stubbins yelled. "He'll be throwin' himself off the yard."
Stubbins seemed to be shouting something definite; but whatever it was, I could not catch. At my helplessness, I grew angry, and shook and prodded Jaskett, to make him move. "Damn you, Jaskett!" I roared. "Damn you for a funky old fool! Let me get past! Let me get past, will you!" But, instead of letting me pass, I found that he was beginning to make his way down.
Beneath the royal yard, Stubbins halted, and looked down to me. "Hurry hup ... with ther ... lantern ... Jessop!" he shouted, catching his breath between the words. "There'll be ... murder done ... hin a minute!" I reached him, and held the light up for him to catch. He stooped, and took it from me. Then, holding it above his head, he went a few ratlines higher.
Indistinctly, I saw something upon the yard, that clung, struggling. Stubbins bent towards it with the light; thus I saw it more clearly. It was Jacobs, the Ordinary Seaman. He had his right arm tightly round the yard; with the other, he appeared to be fending himself from something on the other side of him, and further out upon the yard.
I shall not be away for a fortnight or more, for I only came in yesterday, and have to get rid of my cargo and take a fresh one on board." Accompanied by Captain Stubbins they returned to the hut of the chief, who was, they found, the principal trader in the place. He and the skipper appeared to be well acquainted, and arrangements for trading were soon concluded.
As we stepped out on deck, I heard the Second Mate shouting out, away aft, to know the whereabouts of the light. "By Jove! Stubbins," I said. "I believe the blessed thing's gone again." We ran to the starboard side, in a body, and looked over; but there was no sign of a light in the darkness astern. "I carn't say as I see any light," said Quoin. Plummer said nothing.
I sent Jessop off the look-out, and then you must go and start the same game." "We 'aven't " Jaskett started to say; but the Second silenced him. "Stow it!" he said, and turned and went down the ladder, passing us quickly, without a word. "Doesn't look to me, Stubbins," I said, "as though the Second did believe we've seen the light." "I hain't so sure," he answered. "He's a puzzler."
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