ittle thing flew before wind and sea, while the smack drew off
a little. Presently the bulge of the boat's bow glanced along the ship's
side, and Joe flung his painter. Then a man clambered on to the rail,
and Joe roared, "Where are you coming to?"

"I'm the pilot, and I'm coming aboard of you."

"That you're not, you blasted coward! Stay where you are, and we'll see
if we can't save the wessel."

But the pilot had lost his head. He got ready for a jump; the boat
lifted, and he sprang; the backwash pushed her out, and the man's left
foot only just touched the gunwale. He screamed like a woman, gripped
vainly at the air, and rolled under. A sea drove his head against the
ship's side; the boat swung with tremendous force. Scraunch! and the
poor fellow was gone, with his head crushed like a walnut. Joe tried to
grab him with the boathook, but it was useless, and the unhappy
poltroon's body was whirled away.

"Here's a nice go for a start! Up with you, Billy!"

Then the two fishermen gained the deck, and found not a soul to meet
them. "Where the devil are they all?" Joe ran forward, and went below.
In the dim light he could see little, but he heard a sound as of men
moaning, and as his sight became accustomed to the dusk he saw several
swarthy fellows kneeling. They were kissing their crucifixes and making
a woeful noise. Joe yelled, "Where's your skipper?" but no one heeded
him, and the moaning prayers went on. With a curse Joe rushed aft. On
his way he saw the sounding rod, and he shouted, "See how much she's got
in her, Bill. There's a set of mounseers forrad there, no more good than
kittens."

Then the mate entered the after-cabin, and found a man on the floor.
"What cheer, O, what cheer! Tumble up, my daisy!"

The man glared glassily, and muttered, "I speak him Ingleese very
good."

"Never mind your Ingleese; come on, and make your fellows help to pump."
The captain rose, reeled, and fell. He was mortal drunk.

"You been do you dam please," he hiccupped; and Joe retired with a
shrug.

It was clear that the English pilot had run a Spanish ship aground, as
nearly as possible, and only the two anchors kept her from going hard
on. The two Englishmen found that the vessel had five feet of water in
her, and, in their plain, matter-of-fact way, they set to work. Ugly
washes were coming over, but they lashed themselves to the pump and set
to work like the indomitable seadogs that they were. They could not make
her