all his checkered career had the life of the negro been
suspended in such dangerous balance. The slightest circumstance would
have disturbed the equilibrium,--an ounce would have turned the scale,--
and delivered him into the jaws of death.

It is scarcely necessary to conjecture what would ultimately have been
the end of this perilous adventure, had the sailor and sea-cook been
permitted to terminate it between themselves. The strength of the
former was each instant decreasing; while the weight of the latter,--now
more feebly clinging to the slippery epidermis of the whale,--was in
like proportion becoming greater.

With nothing to intervene, the result might be easily guessed. In
figurative parlance Snowball must have "gone overboard."

But his time was not yet come; and his comrade knew this, when a pair of
hands,--small, but strong ones,--were seen grasping the cord, alongside
of his own. They were the hands of Little Will'm!

At the earliest moment, after Snowball had slipped and fallen, the lad
had perceived his peril; and "swarming" up by the flipper of the whale,
had hurried to the assistance of Ben, laying hold of the rope,--not one
second too soon.

It was soon enough, however, to save the suspended Coromantee; whose
body, now yielding to the united strength of the two, was drawn up the
slippery slope,--slowly, but surely,--until it rested upon the broad
horizontal space around the summit of that mountain of bones and
blubber.

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE.

A HARPOON WELL HANDLED.

It was some time before either his breath or the tranquillity of his
spirits was restored to the Coromantee.

The sailor was equally suffering from the loss of the former; and both
remained for a good many minutes without taking any further steps
towards the accomplishment of the design which had brought them on the
back of the whale.

As soon, however, as Snowball could find wind enough for a few words,
they were uttered in a tone of gratitude,--first to Ben, who had
hindered him from sinking down into something worse than a watery grave;
and then to little William, who had aided in raising him up from it.

Ben less regarded the old comrade whom he had rescued than the young one
who had been instrumental in aiding him.

He stood gazing upon the youth with eyes that expressed a lively
satisfaction.

The promptitude and prowess which his _protege_ had exhibited in the
affair was to him a source of the greatest gratif