He was only mildly interested, not anticipating what was to follow.

For a few seconds he heard them scrambling and puffing and then he saw them quite plainly on the rail, their figures bulky with what he identified as life buoys, a faint light from somewhere falling directly upon the grayish-white objects in which they were swathed.
One of them uttered the word "Now!" and to his amazement they shot out, as one man, into the black-ness below.

There was a single splash.

For a moment or two he stood spell-bound.

Then he heard some one running along the deck below.