"It's broke this oar," growled a well-known voice. "I give it him just
in the jaws as he turned over."
"Ah!" said one of the men, "if that had been steel 'stead o' wood you'd
ha' gone right through him."
"Yes," growled the boatswain, "'stead o' having a broken oar. Well, if
the skipper says I must pay for it, why I must."
"Yah! nonsense!" muttered another. "What, arter saving his boy's life?"
All this brought back to Syd's memory matters which he had seen dimly in
the exciting moments during which he was saved from a horrible death;
and that which he had not seen, imagination and the men's words
supplied. But he could recall something of a sturdy man standing up in
the boat and making a thrust at the shark, and while he was realising
that this man was Barney, one of the sailors said--
"And if I hadn't ketched hold o' you, Mr Bo'sun, by the waistband o'
your breeches, you'd ha' gone overboard, and Jack shark would have had
you."
"Ay, my lad, he would," growled Barney; "but I don't believe he'd a
liked me, for I must be precious tough by now."
"Say, lads," said another voice, "what's the reward for saving a
bo'sun's life?"
"Nothing," said Barney. "'Sides, you've on'y stopped somebody's
promotion. Steady there!"
At that moment, as Syd lay there with a misty feeling of confusion
troubling him, it seemed from the rocking of the boat that the
lieutenant had leaped on board, and the next moment he was kneeling
down, and his hands were busy about Syd.
"Belton, my dear lad," he said, excitedly, "where are you hurt?"
Syd looked at him wildly, and saw him through the mist.
"Hurt?" he said, after making an effort to speak, and feeling deathly
sick the while, "I--I don't know."
"Great heavens!" cried the lieutenant, "I would sooner it had been me.
But I see no blood, bo'sun."
"No, sir; I've been agoin' over him," growled Barney; "and he's got all
his arms, and legs, and, yes, his head's all right. You see I shoved
that oar in Jack's mouth just as he turned over to grab him."
"But the boy is half dead."
"Ketched him a horful crack with his snout, I think it weer, sir; for,
poor dear lad, he were knocked side wise. He'll come round."
All this time it was to Syd just as if the lieutenant and the boatswain
were moving about over him in a mist; but as some water was splashed in
his face, and his brows were bathed, the mist slowly passed away, and he
suddenly struggled up into a sitting position.
"That's better," cried the lieutenant, eagerly. "Are you in pain?"
"Shoulder hurts a little, sir," said Syd, huskily; "but where's the
shark?"
"Yonder, sir," said the boatswain, pointing to about fifty yards away,
where a something that looked like a thick miniature lateen sail was
gliding through the water.
"A narrow escape, Belton," said the lieutenant; "but you are saved,
thank heaven. Give way, my men."
"Arn't we going to try and serve out Master Jack, sir?" said one of the
men.
"No, my lad. What can we do without bait or line?"
"Like to spritsail-yard him, sir?" said Strake, touching his hat.
"What's spritsail-yarding?" said Syd, who was now trying to squeeze some
of the water out of his drenched uniform.
"Ketching your shark and then running a little spar through his nose,"
whispered the bo'sun, as the men gave way and the boat surged through
the water. "This here's lashed so as he can't get it out, and it keeps
him from sinking, as he moves it afore him."
"But it's horribly cruel," said Syd, pausing in his wringing process.
"Well, 'tarn't nice for him, sir," said the boatswain; "but then you see
it's cruel of Master Jack to be taking off arms and legs, and it stops
that, sir."
This argument was unanswerable for the moment, and just then another
shark was sighted, and its appearance fascinated Syd, who shuddered as
he gazed at the monster, and thought of the horrible fate he had
escaped.
"I wonder what father will say to me when he learns of my adventure," he
said to himself.
But he had very little more time for thought, the boat soon being
alongside; the falls were hooked on, and they were soon after swinging
from the davits.
The first person Syd's eyes rested upon was Terry, whose face expanded
into a grin as he saw the middy's drenched condition, and the boy turned
away angrily, to see if he could catch his father's eye. But he only
saw Lieutenant Dallas making his report on the quarter-deck, and his
father standing there with a glass in his hand, which he directed at the
rock, then seemed to give some orders, and the lieutenant saluted and
came away.