but there was nothing to be seen. The port had been carefully barred
and calked over. The sound was not loud. Down there among the other
noises, I seemed to feel as well as hear it. I sent Burns down, and
he came up, puzzled.

"It's outside," he said. "Something cracking against her ribs."

"You didn't notice it yesterday, did you?"

"No; but yesterday we were not listening for noises."

The knocking was on the port side. We went forward together, and,
leaning well out, looked over the rail.

The missing marlinespike was swinging there, banging against the
hull with every roll of the ship. It was fastened by a rope
lanyard to a large bolt below the rail, and fastened with what
Burns called a Blackwall hitch--a sailor's knot.




CHAPTER XVI

JONES STUMBLES OVER SOMETHING


I find, from my journal, that the next seven days passed without
marked incident. Several times during that period we sighted vessels,
all outward bound, and once we were within communicating distance of