elapsed before I caught sight of him, rising on the crest of a wave, at
some distance from me. I saw he could not hold out long; for he was
over-exerting himself, shouting and raising his hand for assistance, and
his face was pale as death. I struck out desperately towards him, and
shouted, when I got near him, "Keep up your heart, sir; be cool; don't
attempt to lay hold of me, and, please God, I will save you yet." My
advice had the desired effect, and restored his self-possession; he
became more cool and collected, and with occasional support from me,
contrived to reach the life-buoy. In the meantime, all was confusion on
board the ship; the second mate of the watch, a young hand, in the hurry
of the moment, threw the ship too suddenly up to the wind, a squall
struck her at the moment, and the foretopmast and topgallantmast went
over the side, dragging the maintopgallantmast with them. The cry of
"A man overboard!" had hurried the crew on deck, and the crash of the
falling spars, and the contradictory orders from the quarter-deck, at
first puzzled and confused them; but the _chief_ mate was a cool, active
seaman, and the moment he made his appearance order and silence were
restored; the quarter-boat was instantly lowered, numbers of the men
springing forward to volunteer to man her, for the captain was
deservedly beloved by his crew; and the rest of the hands were
immediately set to work to clear away the wreck. In a few minutes the
boat reached us, and we were safely seated in the stern sheets.

"Douglas, my gallant fellow," said the captain, shaking me cordially by
the hand, "I may thank _you_ that I am not food for the fishes by this
time. I had just resigned myself to my fate, when your voice came over
the water to me, like a messenger of hope and safety. How can I ever
repay you?"

"I am sufficiently repaid, Captain Rose, by seeing you beside me; the
only way in which you can serve me, is by giving me a lift in the way of
promotion, when we return home."

"I will, you may depend upon it," replied he; "and as long as I live,
you may apply to me as a firm and faithful friend."

I was highly gratified by this promise; for the great object of my
ambition for some time past had been to raise myself again from
obscurity into something like my former station in life. Next voyage,
through the captain's interest with the owners, I was appointed chief
mate of the Albion, Captain Rose's ship, for which I was found duly