At the first dawn of day, Harry went on deck to learn their situation.  What a change had been wrought in a few hours.  Their masts had been carried away, the decks had been swept clean; and he learned that several poor fellows had lost their hold, and were not seen more.

“Well, I’ll be d——­d if that son of a cannibal hasn’t sneaked away into some hole, and kept his footing,” exclaimed the captain, as he saw the boy appear above deck; “I was in hopes he had found safe quarters in Davy Jones’s locker!  But there’s no getting rid of such scalawags!”

“Captain Jostler,” cried Mr. Sampson, raising his hat, “it’s none of my business, and you may knock me down the next minute, if you please, but God knows there’s not a man aboard but owes his life to that boy.  I have no mutinous designs, sir, but at such a moment as this I will speak, sir, come what will, and thank God the boy had sense enough to go below, when he knew he could be of no use here.”

The captain looked daggers; he was about to seize Sampson by the throat, when a voice from the assembled crew was heard: 

“Three cheers and long life to the boy, captain or no captain! Hurrah! Hurrah!!  Hurrah!!!” shouted the grateful tars, making the welkin ring.

If Jostler had had the heart of a brave, noble sea-captain, he would have fought right and left till the last, ere his men should dare to show such insubordination, setting his authority at defiance; but he was a coward, and they were whole-hearted seamen, who would not see the innocent trampled upon, consequently the villain had to swallow his wrath; but he was determined to have his revenge, and Sampson noticed that he cast an evil eye upon the boy.

Upon examination it was found they had sustained no injuries, besides the loss of the masts, except that a small leakage had been made near the bows, and that was soon repaired by the carpenter, who proceeded to rig jury-masts, and it was not long before they were put in a condition capable of running into the islands for repairs.

About sunrise signals of distress were heard, and by the glass, a dismasted ship was made out, a long way astern, apparently in a sinking condition.  The captain appeared to take little notice of her, and as the mate ventured to inquire if they should “’bout ship,” he answered, “Thunder! no, we are safe; let them run their own chance.”

Harry, hearing his reply, was shocked.  Could the man turn a deaf ear to those repeated sounds of distress, when it was in his power to save them?  Ah, boy, it is even so! but he is not a man.  Harry could endure the thought no longer, as fainter and fainter grew the reports, as they bore away from them; he begged Sampson to implore the captain to return, Sampson telling him “it was of no use, that it would not do to cross him again.”

“Then I will go myself to him; he cannot have the heart to leave them to perish!”