rig-out."

A seaman will joke in the midst of a furious engagement, or at other
moments of the greatest peril; and I believe Terence was truly grateful
to the merciful Providence who had so wonderfully preserved him. We
threw our jackets over him, to shelter him as well as we could, and
pulled back as fast as we were able to the ship. There was a short time
for talking and hearing how it had happened, as may be supposed. We had
great difficulty in getting on board again, and it required extreme
caution to prevent the boat being swamped alongside. At last we reached
the deck, and the boat was hoisted in.

"Why, you haven't got him," said the captain, seeing the same number
come back as had gone away in the boat.

"Yes, sir," we answered; "but poor Derrick has gone;" and we explained
how our other shipmate had been lost. So there was a sigh and a tear
for poor Derrick; and a cheer and congratulations for O'Connor's
preservation.

Our captain ordered O'Connor at once to his hammock, observing that his
nervous system must have received a great shock, and that he need not do
duty for some days, while the surgeon was directed to see to him.
O'Connor very gladly turned in; and the surgeon feeling his pulse,
prescribed a stiff glass of grog, a style of medicine of which sailors
most approve. After he was made comfortable, I went and sat by him, and
congratulated him heartily on his preservation.

"Why, you see, Peter, there's an old saying about a man not being able
to drown who is born to finish his career in another way, in which a
rope plays a prominent part; but I hope that's not true in my case. You
must know, indeed, that when I first struck the water, as I was hove off
the yard, I thought I should escape. When I came to the top again,
after I had sunk some way down, thinks I to myself, there's no use
trying to swim with all this hamper of clothing about me; so the first
thing I did was to cast it all adrift, and to kick off my shoes. I had
some difficulty in getting out of my jacket, but I succeeded by treading
the water with my feet the while. Remember, Peter, always have your
sea-going clothes made loose, so as to be able to throw them off in a
moment. You never know when you may require to be rid of them. When I
was free of my clothes, I thought there would be no use striking out and
wearying myself, to try and regain the ship, because I saw that all I
could do would not bring me up alongside her agai