as on the
point of sinking, being seized with cramp. He was a good swimmer, and
but for this might have kept up until he had reached the Lively, for the
Dolphin was much further off from him than we were. We saw papa making
his way towards Jack. I felt inclined to jump overboard; but Truck sang
out to Oliver and me to assist in getting the boat in the water, when
the two men, Ned and Ben, jumped into her.

"Pull away in the wake of the captain," shouted Truck; "he'll hand
Master Jack to you when he gets hold of him. Take care you don't
capsize the boat. The captain will look after himself; but listen, and
do as he tells you."

There was a good deal of sea on, and the boat tossed about fearfully.
There seemed a great risk of her bows striking Jack, had the men
attempted to pull directly towards him. They soon overtook papa, but
wisely kept at an oar's length on one side of him. My heart beat as if
it would jump into my throat. It seemed to me that at any moment papa
himself might sink. I could barely distinguish Jack's head, and
sometimes I thought it was only a lump of sea-weed. He had prudently
not attempted to swim, but thrown himself on his back. The Dolphin's
boat was by this time in the water, and was also making its way towards
the spot; but papa was very much nearer. I almost shouted with joy when
I saw that he had got hold of Jack, and was keeping his head, which I
could now more clearly distinguish, above the white foam.

"Pull round, lads," I heard him shout, "and back in towards me!"

The men obeyed the order.

"Now, one of you come aft, and catch hold of the boy."

With intense relief we saw Jack hauled on board over the stern; but papa
was still in the water. For a moment I thought of sharks, remembering
how often those horrible monsters had carried off people just about to
get into a boat. Then I recollected that they were seldom if ever seen
so far north. Papa just held on to the stern until Jack had been
carried by Ben a little way forward, and then we saw him climb in, Ben
just lending him a hand, which was all he required. Doubly thankful we
were when we saw him also safe in the stern-sheets.

"Praise God!" exclaimed old Truck. "If the captain had gone it would
have broken my heart."

The boat, instead of returning to us, pulled on to the Dolphin, and
there was just light sufficient for us to see Jack lifted on board, both
vessels remaining hove-to. Presently the Dolphin's bo