I found myself by Alister once more, and he helped me to hold on, and pointed where every one else was pointing.  There was a lull in the eager talking of the men, and the knot of captain and the officers on the bridge stood still, and Alister roared through the wind into my ear—­“Bide a wee, the moon ’ll be out again.”

I waited, and the cloud passed from her face or she sailed from beneath it, and at the same instant I saw a streak of light upon the water in which a black object bobbed up and down as the porpoises had bobbed, and all the men burst out again, and a crowd rushed up on to the forecastle.

“It’s half-a-mile aft.”—­“A bit of wreck.”—­“An old sugar hogshead.”—­“The emperor of the porpoises.”—­“Is it the sea sarpint ye’re maning?”—­“Will hany gentleman lend me ’is hopera-glass?”—­“I’m blessed if I don’t think we’re going to go half speed.  I sailed seven years in the Amiable with old Savage, and I’m blessed if he ever put her a point out of her course for anything.  ’Every boat for herself, and the sea for us all,’ he used to say, and allus kept his eyes forwards in foul weather.”—­“Aisy, Tom, aisy, ye’re out of it entirely.  It’s the Humane Society’s gold medal we’ll all be getting for saving firewood.”—­“Stow your jaw, Pat, that’s not wreck, it’s—­”

At this moment the third mate’s voice rang through the ship—­

“A boat bottom up!”

The men passed from chaff to a silence whose eagerness could be felt, through which another voice came through the wind from the poop—­“there’s something on her!” and I turned that way, and saw the captain put down his glass, and put his hand to his mouth; and when he sang out “A MAN!” we all sprang to our feet, and opened our lips, but the boatswain put up his hand, and cried, “Silence, fore and aft!  Steady, lads!  Look to the captain!”

The gold cap-bands glittered close together, and then, clear to be seen in a sudden gleam of moonlight, the captain leaned forward and shouted to the crew, “Fo’cs’le there!” And they sang out, “Aye, aye, sir!”

“Volunteers for the whaleboat!”

My heart was beating fast enough, but I do not think I could have counted a dozen throbs, before, with a wild hurrah, every man had leaped from the forecastle, Alister among them, and I was left alone.

I was just wondering if I could possibly be of use, when I heard the captain’s voice again. (He had come down, and was where the whaleboat was hanging, which, I learned, was fitted like a lifeboat, and the crew were crowding round him.)

“Steady, lads!  Stand back.  Come as you’re called.  Thunder and lightning, we want to man the boat, not sink her.  Mr. Johnson!”

“Aye, aye, sir!”

“A!  B!  C!  D!” &c.

“Here, sir!” “Here, sir!” “Here, sir!”

“Fall back there!  Thank you all, my lads, but she’s manned.”