the end of the bowsprit out of
water, so that we can easily reach the upper ends of the bobstays.
There is about five feet rise and fall of tide. Now, we have no
pontoons nor casks. Our only plan, captain, is to lift her bodily."

"But we have a diving-suit and air-pump," said Mr. Shack,
enthusiastically, "and fifty men ready to dive without suits. We can
raise her, captain, in two weeks."

"Gentlemen," said Captain Bunce, grandly, "I have full faith in your
seamanship and skill. I leave the work in your hands." Which was
equivalent to an admission that he was fat and lazy, and did not care
to take an active part.

"Thank you, sir," said Mr. Duncan, and "Thank you, sir," said Mr.
Shack; then the captain said other pleasant things, which brought other
pleasant responses, and the breakfast passed off so agreeably that Mr.
Todd, in spite of the soul-felt yearning for a smoke inspired by the
cigars in the mouths of the others, felt the influence of the
enthusiasm and bestowed his blessing--qualifiedly--on the enterprise.

Every man of the brig's crew was eager for the work, but few could
engage at first; for there was nothing but the forecastle-deck and the
bark's rigging to stand upon. Down came the disgraceful black flags the
first thing, and up to the gaff went the ensign of Britain. Then they
sent down the fore and main lower and topsail yards, and erected them
as sheers over the bow and stern, lower ends well socketed in spare
anchor-stocks to prevent their sinking in the sand, upper ends lashed
together and stayed to each other and to the two anchors ahead and
astern. To the sheer-heads they rigged heavy threefold tackles, and to
the disconnected bobstays (chains leading from the bowsprit end to the
stem at the water-line) they hooked the forward tackle, and heaving on
the submerged windlass, lifted the bow off the bottom--high enough to
enable them to slip two shots of anchor-chain under the keel, one to
take the weight at the stern, the other at the bow, for the bobstays
would pull out of the stem under the increased strain as the bark
arose.

Most of this work was done under water; but a wetting is nothing to men
looking for gold, and nobody cared. Yet, as a result of ruined
uniforms, the order came from Captain Bunce to wear underclothing only
or go naked, which latter the men preferred, though the officers clung
to decency and tarry duck trousers. Every morning the day began with
the washing of the brig's d