course. Coco shouted to his utmost, and fortunately attracted the
notice of the men who were on the bowsprit, stowing away the
foretopmast-staysail, which had been hoisted up to dry after the gale.

[Illustration: _Coco shouted to his utmost, and fortunately attracted
notice_.]

'Starboard, hard!' was roared out.

'Starboard it is,' was the reply from the quarter-deck, and the helm was
shifted without inquiry, as it always is on board of a man-of-war;
although, at the same time, it behoves people to be rather careful how
they pass such an order, without being prepared with a subsequent and
most satisfactory explanation.

The topmast studding-sail flapped and fluttered, the foresail shivered,
and the jib filled as the frigate rounded to, narrowly missing the
wreck, which was now under the bows, rocking so violently in the white
foam of the agitated waters that it was with difficulty that Coco could,
by clinging to the stump of the mainmast, retain his elevated position.
The frigate shortened sail, hove-to, and lowered down a quarter-boat,
and in less than five minutes Coco, Judy, and the infant were rescued
from their awful situation. Poor Judy, who had borne up against all for
the sake of the child, placed it in the arms of the officer who relieved
them, and then fell back in a state of insensibility, in which condition
she was carried on board. Coco, as he took his place in the stern-sheets
of the boat, gazed wildly round him, and then broke out into peals of
extravagant laughter, which continued without intermission, and were the
only replies which he could give to the interrogatories of the
quarter-deck, until he fell down in a swoon, and was entrusted to the
care of the surgeon.

CHAPTER II

THE BACHELOR

On the evening of the same day on which the child and the two negroes
had been saved from the wreck by the fortunate appearance of the
frigate, Mr. Witherington, of Finsbury Square, was sitting alone in his
dining-room, wondering what could have become of the _Circassian_, and
why he had not received intelligence of her arrival. Mr. Witherington,
as we said before, was alone; he had his port and his sherry before him;
and although the weather was rather warm, there was a small fire in the
grate, because, as Mr. Witherington asserted, it looked comfortable. Mr.
Witherington having watched the ceiling of the room for some time,
although there was certainly nothing new to be discovered, filled
anothe