some connection, now the captain put
it so, between the loss of the porkers and the ship's being castaway, he
not having been let into the secret of the reason for the strange
behaviour of the pigs on the occasion referred to. "Aye, aye, cap'en, I
remember your saying so quite well."

Mr Mackay couldn't stand this, and he walked down the poop ladder to
conceal his amusement; and I followed him when I found him bent on
consulting Tim Rooney as to what was to be done, the captain being
hopeless at present.

"Be jabers, we're in a pritty kittle av fish an' no mistake!" said Tim
when asked his opinion about the situation. "We might be able to kedge
her off, sorr, an' thin ag'in we moightn't; but the foorst thing to say,
sorr, is whither she's all roight below."

"A good suggestion," answered Mr Mackay. "Tell the carpenter to sound
the well at once."

"That'd be no good at all, sorr," interposed the other, "for the poor
craythur's got her bows hoigh an' dhry, while she's down by the starn.
The bist thing as I'd advise, sorr, excusin' the liberty, is to get down
alongside an' say if she's started anythin'. That big scrape she got as
she came over the rafe, I'm afeard, took off a bit av her kale, sorr."

"Right you are, Rooney, sensible as ever," said Mr Mackay. "We'll have
a boat over the side at once and see to it."

This, however, was a work of time, for the jolly-boat, which was the
only one of moderate size we had left, since the dinghy had been carried
away in the typhoon, was stowed inside the long-boat; and so purchases
had to be rigged to the fore and main yards before it could be raised
from its berth and hoisted over the ship's bulwarks.

But, all hands helping, the job was done at last; when Mr Mackay
descended the side-ladder into the boat along with the boatswain and a
couple of men to pull round the ship, so as to ascertain what, if any,
damage she might have received. I could not help noticing, though, that
the captain did not exhibit the slightest interest when the first mate
submitted what he was about to do and asked his permission--only telling
him that he might go if he liked, but he thought it of little use!

I should have liked to have gone with them too, and I mentioned this to
Tom Jerrold, as he and I leant over the bows and watched the jolly-boat
and those in her below us; for although Tim Rooney had spoken of the
ship being "high and dry" she was still in shallow water forward, the
she