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As he approached more closely the dark bulk of a ship loomed before him out of
the blackness of the night. No sound came from the vessel's deck. Paulvitch
drifted, unseen, close to the Kincaid's side. Only the momentary scraping of his
canoe's nose against the ship's planking broke the silence of the night.
Trembling with nervous excitement, the Russian remained motionless for several
minutes; but there was no sound from the great bulk above him to indicate that
his coming had been noted.
Stealthily he worked his craft forward until the stays of the bowsprit were directly
above him. He could just reach them. To make his canoe fast there was the
work of but a minute or two, and then the man raised himself quietly aloft.
A moment later he dropped softly to the deck. Thoughts of the hideous pack
which tenanted the ship induced cold tremors along the spine of the cowardly
prowler; but life itself depended upon the success of his venture, and so he was
enabled to steel himself to the frightful chances which lay before him.
No sound or sign of watch appeared upon the ship's deck. Paulvitch crept
stealthily toward the forecastle. All was silence. The hatch was raised, and as
the man peered downward he saw one of the Kincaid's crew reading by the light
of the smoky lantern depending from the ceiling of the crew's quarters.
Paulvitch knew the man well, a surly cut-throat upon whom he figured strongly
in the carrying out of the plan which he had conceived. Gently the Russ lowered
himself through the aperture to the rounds of the ladder which led into the
forecastle.
He kept his eyes turned upon the reading man, ready to warn him to silence the
moment that the fellow discovered him; but so deeply immersed was the sailor in
the magazine that the Russian came, unobserved, to the forecastle floor.
There he turned and whispered the reader's name. The man raised his eyes from
the magazine--eyes that went wide for a moment as they fell upon the familiar
countenance of Rokoff's lieutenant, only to narrow instantly in a scowl of
disapproval.
"The devil!" he ejaculated. "Where did you come from? We all thought you were
done for and gone where you ought to have gone a long time ago. His lordship
will be mighty pleased to see you."
Paulvitch crossed to the sailor's side. A friendly smile lay on the Russian's lips,
and his right hand was extended in greeting, as though the other might have
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