From the main cabin, the bo'sun led up on to the deck, and I remember
some surprise at finding the lid of the scuttle even as we had left it
the previous night; but then I recollected that the skylight was broken,
and there was access to the big cabin that way. Yet, I questioned within
myself as to what manner of thing it could be which ignored the
convenience of the scuttle, and descended by way of the broken skylight.

We made a search of the decks and fo'cas'le, but found nothing, and,
after that, the bo'sun stationed two of us on guard, whilst the rest went
about such duties as were needful. In a little, we came to breakfast,
and, after that, we prepared to test the story upon the sample wrappers
and see perchance whether there was indeed a spring of fresh water among
the trees.

Now between the vessel and the trees, lay a slope of the thick mud,
against which the vessel rested. To have scrambled up this bank had been
next to impossible, by reason of its fat richness; for, indeed, it looked
fit to crawl; but that Josh called out to the bo'sun that he had come
upon a ladder, lashed across the fo'cas'le head. This was brought, also
several hatch covers. The latter were placed first upon the mud, and the
ladder laid upon them; by which means we were enabled to pass up to the
top of the bank without contact with the mud.

Here, we entered at once among the trees; for they grew right up to the
edge; but we had no trouble in making a way; for they were nowhere
close together; but standing, rather, each one in a little open space
by itself.

We had gone a little way among the trees, when, suddenly, one who was