"What is it?" demanded the captain, irritably. "D'ye expect me to
spend the whole night here?"

"A minute, sir. Let over a running tackle, and we'll have the whole
thing aboard."

"Lively there! Lower the tackle, and don't stand staring with your
mouths open. Swing out those davits."

The davits swung out, the tackle ran through the pulleys into the
water with a splash, and the mate shifted the unknown craft, with
its mysterious freight, amidships. A few moments he occupied in
getting the tackle into position.

"Haul in!" he shouted.

"Heave!" roared the captain, in a state of high excitement; and the
sailors, wrought up to a pitch, heaved with a will.

The captain, Mr. Hume, and Compton, peering over the side, saw a
long, narrow canoe rising up, with the forms of the mate and Venning
standing amidships, and some huddled object aft.

The canoe swung clear of the rails, the tackle was made fast, the
davits swung in, and then the canoe was slowly lowered to the main
deck.

"Why, it's a man," shouted Compton.