As the outer lock opened, a gangway ladder lowered automatically.

The airlock opened and the gangway ladder came down and it was nightmarishly slow.

Maryk leaped to the landing platform, a small square wooden grille bleached by salt water at the bottom of the steep gangway ladder.

Joachim crossed the bunkroom and went down the shaft, out the airlock, and down the retractable gangway ladder again.

"It is particularly suited for planking, waterways, bulwarks, rails, skylights and companions, bitts, gangway ladders, and other deck work.

When Zaidie had made her winter toilet, and Redgrave had found the air to be quite respirable, but of Arctic cold, they went down the gangway ladder about twenty minutes later.

"Just fancy getting Maxim guns ready to shoot those delightful things," said Zaidie, almost indignantly, as she went towards the doorway from which the gangway ladder ran down to the soft, mossy turf.

She darted back and hovered above the launch calling directions to the steersman, who slowed the craft down to a crawling pace and brought it in to the ship's gangway ladder that hung just above the water line.