in-chains.

Quenching our thirst gave us all new life; so, later on in the
afternoon, Captain Miles set the men to work casting off the ropes as
best they could with the idea of freeing the masts. However, we could
do nothing without an axe, for no man had anything handier than his
clasp-knife, which naturally was of no use in helping to cut away the
cordage and heavy spars that kept the ship down on her beam-ends.

What was to be done?

We were all in a dilemma, one man suggesting one thing, and another
proposing a fresh plan for getting rid of the masts; when, Adze, the
carpenter, who had said nothing as yet, spoke for the first time.

"I left a large axe o' mine," he said quietly, as if saying nothing
particularly worthy of notice--"I left a large axe o' mine in my bunk in
the fo'c's'le; and if ary a one can git down theer, he'll find it on the
top side to his starboard hand as he goes in."

"But, the fo'c's'le's full of water," said Mr Marline, "and a man must
be a good diver to creep in there and get the axe under eight or twelve
foot of sea! Besides, I daresay it will have been washed away from
where Adze put it in his bunk, the lurch of the ship having shifted
everything to leeward."

"It war to leeward already in the top bunk, I tell 'ee," rejoined the
carpenter; "an', bein' that heavy, I spec's it's theer right enough.
Only I can't dive, nor swim above water for that matter, so it's no use
my going after it."

"I'll go, massa captain," shouted out Jake, who had been listening
eagerly to this conversation. "I'se dibe like porpuss an' swim like
fiss."

"I know that," said Captain Miles laughing. "I recollect the way you
came aboard my ship. But you can try if you like, darkey. If you find
that axe, you'll be the saving of all of us, and give a fair return for
your passage, my hearty!"

Jake did not need any further persuasion.

Making his way along the bulwarks, he clambered on to the main rigging,
now lying flat across the capsized vessel, until he came to a clear
space between the mainmast and the forecastle, from whence the boats and
cook's galley had been washed away. Jumping into the water at this
point, he swam towards the spot where he thought the entrance to the
forecastle should lie, for the sea was washing about forward, and
nothing to be seen above the surface but a small portion of the port
bulwarks near the dead-eyes of the fore-shrouds and a bit of the port
cat-head.

Jake then