it;
for, although, like the "ancient mariner," we saw "water, water
everywhere," there was not a drop of the wholesome fluid, as far as we
knew, that we could drink.

In this dire calamity, Jackson proved our guardian angel.

"I say, captain," he called out, after climbing along the bulwarks down
into that part of the waist of the ship which was clear of the sea,
letting himself swing down by the end of the topsail halliards which
were belayed to the side, "there's one of the water-casks lashed here
that did not fetch away to leeward with the rest when she canted over;
and it's full too. If anyone has got a hat, or anything that I can draw
off the water in, I will start the bung and we can all splice the main-
brace."

"Hurrah!" shouted Captain Miles. "That's the best news I have heard for
many a day. Here, Marline, pass him down my wide-awake. Mind how you
drive out the bung, Jackson, and have something ready to close up the
hole again; or else, all the contents of the cask will be wasted 'fore
the hands are served round."

"I'll take care, sir," replied the young seaman, who had now turned the
end of the topsail halliards into a bight round his body, so that he
could swing down in front of the water-cask and yet have his hands free.

Then, taking out a marlinespike, which had caught in the rigging somehow
or other, he managed, after several blows on either side of the cask, to
start the bung. This, from the position in which the ship was lying,
was now horizontal instead of perpendicular; so, as soon as it came out,
the water flowed at once into the captain's wide-awake hat, which
Jackson had under the bung-hole, stopping up this again with the cork as
soon as the hat was full.

Mr Marline was bending down from the bulwarks above him to receive the
strange jug when the other handed it up to him, and he passed it on to
Captain Miles, who allowed me to have the first drink.

It tasted like nectar--better than any draught I had ever had before or
since!

Captain Miles himself then took a gulp of the grateful contents of his
old hat, passing it on to Moggridge; and, when emptied, as it very soon
was, the wide-awake was filled and refilled by Jackson until every man
had satisfied his thirst--the last to enjoy the water which he had been
the means of procuring being the brave young seaman himself, just in the
same way as he had been the last to quit the post of danger when helping
his shipmates out of the ma