he _Josephine_ quiver almost down to her bottom
timbers.

"Hooray!"

I could scarcely believe my ears; but, as I looked up in surprise and
wonder I caught sight of Jake's ebony face all aglow with delight, his
eyes rolling about like a vessel in a heavy seaway and his mouth
expanded from ear to ear. He was evidently about to indulge in one of
his usual huge guffaws when especially highly pleased and unable to
contain himself, as he evidently was now.

"Golly, dat splendiferous!" he cried out in ecstasy. "Um beat cock-
fightin' nohow!"

"Bravo, well done!" I heard Captain Miles's voice exclaim also at the
same time, with a joyous heartiness utterly indescribable.

"Why, what has happened, Jake?" I asked, quite puzzled.

"Wat happen', eh, Mass' Tom? I tell um sharp! De sailor man lick de
shark arter all! Him dibe under de fis; as um go to grab him; an' den,
dey catch de nasty debbil one big crack wid um boat-hook, an' pull Mass'
Jackson into der boat. Golly, I'se so berry glad, Mass' Tom! I'se
a'most cry wid joy, for true."

And then, not content with this expression of his feelings, the
sympathetic darkey, sliding down from the rigging where he had been
perched, looking on at the terribly exciting scene taking place a moment
before in the water, tumbled himself over on the deck in paroxysms of
merriment, perfectly unable to restrain himself and keep still.

When I now looked over the side of the ship, which by this time was
hove-to, the gig, with Jackson seated in the stern-sheets by Mr
Marline, was close under the port quarter, and the rescued swimmer with
those who had saved him in the nick of time were just preparing to come
on board.

Presently, Jackson and the mate mounted the side-ladder amidst a perfect
ovation from the crew, all hands cheering like mad and pressing forwards
to shake the fist of him whom they had never expected to see again.
After this the gig was veered astern and hoisted up once more to the
davits, and the _Josephine_, bearing round and filling her sails, again
resumed her north-east course on the starboard tack. The job of making
the port anchor snug inboard was completed later on, when the men had
sobered down somewhat from the excitement which had reigned through the
ship from the moment Jackson had first fallen overboard--it having been
an awfully anxious time throughout his peril by drowning, his
hairbreadth escape from the shark, and his ultimate rescue.

Later on, M