secure the scuttle, we should have been just a man apiece for
those on deck; and I make no doubt the project would have succeeded, had
it been attempted in that mode. I was, by nature, a stronger man than
Sennit, besides being younger and in my prime; while Diggens would not
have been more than a child in Marble's hands. As for the man at the
wheel, Neb could have thrown him half-way up to the mizen-top, on an
emergency. But it seemed that my mate had a deeper project in view; nor
was the other absolutely certain, as I afterwards learned, one of the
Englishmen soon coming out of the forecastle, to eat on deck, quite likely
aware that there might be some risk in letting all hands remain below.

It was now sufficiently dark for our purposes, and I began to reflect
seriously on the best mode of proceeding, when, all at once, a heavy
splash in the water was heard, and Marble was heard shouting, "Man
overboard!"

Sennit and I ran to the lee main-rigging, where we just got a glimpse of
the hat of the poor fellow, who seemed to be swimming manfully, as the
ship foamed past him.

"Starboard, your helm!" shouted Marble.--"Starboard, your helm! Come to
these fore-braces, Neb--bear a hand this a-way, you cook. Captain
Wallingford, please lend us a pull. Look out for the boat, Mr. Sennit;
we'll take care of the head-yards."

Now all this had been regularly concocted in the mate's mind in advance.
By these means he not only managed to get all our people together, but he
got them away from the boat. The whole was done so naturally, as to
prevent the smallest suspicion of any design. To do Sennit justice, I must
acknowledge that he behaved himself particularly well on this sudden
appeal to his activity and decision. The loss of a _man_ was, to him, a
matter of deep moment; all his habits and propensities inclining him to be
solicitous about the manning of ships. A man saved was as good as a man
impressed; and he was the first person in the boat. By the time the ship
had lost her way, the boat was ready; and I heard Sennit call out the
order to lower. As for us Americans, we had our hands full, to get the
head-yards braced up in time, and to settle away the top-gallant halyards,
aft, in order to save the spars. In two minutes, however, the Dawn
resembled a steed that had suddenly thrown his rider, diverging from his
course, and shooting athwart the field at right angles to his former
track, scenting and snuffing the air. Forward all