He must act alone; there was no other way.

If he could only have a light of some kind, and not be compelled to grope blindly about in that intense darkness.
He stepped cautiously forward, with hands outstretched, swaying to the sudden roll of the sinking hulk underneath his feet.

He struck a piece of furniture, a bench bolted to the deck, and then his groping fingers came in sudden contact with the cabin wall, which he followed, circling to the left.

In this manner he succeeded in finally locating the door opening out on to the deck, and had grasped the knob, when a deep moan from the black void behind caused him to become suddenly erect, his heart beating like a trip-hammer.

No other sound followed, no repetition, and yet there could be no mistaking what he had heard.