ok a turn at
it, and so on, until each had had his go; when Jackson, rested a bit and
refreshed by a long drink of water, began anew, making the chips of the
hard wood fly as well as the sea, which he splashed up at every stroke
the spray going into his eyes and almost blinding him.

All the men worked with the greatest perseverance in spite of their weak
state; and, just before sunset, when the mast was about half cut
through, it gave signs of at length yielding, sundry sharp cracks being
heard as its natural buoyancy forced it to rise, the different purchases
that previously held it to the deck being also now severed.

"Bravo, men, one spell more all round, and we'll have the spar loose!"
cried Captain Miles, going down into the waist himself to head this last
attack, and taking a longer turn with the axe than anyone.

Blow after blow was then rained upon the heel of the mast, all working
with fresh courage and determination as the ponderous piece of timber
gave way before their efforts, a wide gaping hole having been now made
in it by the axe.

"Look out and stand clear!" shouted Jackson, catching on to the same old
sling he had rove out of the topsail halliards by which he had lowered
himself from the bulwarks, and swinging himself out of danger. "It's
coming at last!"

At the same moment, a scrunching, wrenching sound was heard, followed by
a long, loud crack; and then, up floated the mainmast cut off close to
the deck, although still attached to the ship by the rigging on the
starboard side--which could not be reached, of course, at present, being
under water, and the sea covering it to the depth of ten or twelve feet.

The effect of this relief to the ship was at once apparent, the forward
portion of the wreck sensibly rising out of the sea, and the top of the
forecastle being now visible, as well as the whole of the port bulwarks
up to the cat-head on that side; while the main-deck below us, and the
upper portion of the poop, became slanting at an angle towards the water
on the starboard, instead of being almost perpendicular to it as before,
thus showing that the centre of gravity was changed and the vessel
recovering her stability.

"Bravo, men!" exclaimed Captain Miles joyously, delighted at such
confirmatory proofs that his hopes of righting the _Josephine_ were not
unduly sanguine. "As soon as we get the foremast clear she'll come up
all standing, never fear! Can't you see how the poor thing is tr