may knock me down the next minute, if you please, but
God knows there's not a man aboard but owes his life to that boy. I have
no mutinous designs, sir, but at such a moment as this I will speak,
sir, come what will, and thank God the boy had sense enough to go below,
when he knew he could be of no use here."

The captain looked daggers; he was about to seize Sampson by the throat,
when a voice from the assembled crew was heard:

"Three cheers and long life to the boy, captain or no captain!
_Hurrah!_ HURRAH!! HURRAH!!!" shouted the grateful tars, making the
welkin ring.

If Jostler had had the heart of a brave, noble sea-captain, he would
have fought right and left till the last, ere his men should dare to
show such insubordination, setting his authority at defiance; but he was
a coward, and they were whole-hearted seamen, who would not see the
innocent trampled upon, consequently the villain had to swallow his
wrath; but he was determined to have his revenge, and Sampson noticed
that he cast an evil eye upon the boy.

Upon examination it was found they had sustained no injuries, besides
the loss of the masts, except that a small leakage had been made near
the bows, and that was soon repaired by the carpenter, who proceeded to
rig jury-masts, and it was not long before they were put in a condition
capable of running into the islands for repairs.

About sunrise signals of distress were heard, and by the glass, a
dismasted ship was made out, a long way astern, apparently in a sinking
condition. The captain appeared to take little notice of her, and as the
mate ventured to inquire if they should "'bout ship," he answered,
"Thunder! no, we are safe; let them run their own chance."

Harry, hearing his reply, was shocked. Could the man turn a deaf ear to
those repeated sounds of distress, when it was in his power to save
them? Ah, boy, it is even so! but he is not a man. Harry could endure
the thought no longer, as fainter and fainter grew the reports, as they
bore away from them; he begged Sampson to implore the captain to return,
Sampson telling him "it was of no use, that it would not do to cross
him again."

"Then I will go myself to him; he cannot have the heart to leave them to
perish!"

"Rash boy, your life will be the penalty! you must not do it."

"I will do my duty, though I should die for it! there is the least
possibility of his hearing me, and what is one life compared with, it
may be, a hundred."