They all crowded to the rail to look, Jackie Case, who had not yet gone to bed, being the most eager.
“Where’s the big fish?” he cried. There was quite a swell on, and the boat rolled from side to side at times with a dangerous pitch, but not annoying to those used to it. It was just on one of the occasions when the ship slid along, tilting her rail, with the passengers up against it toward the waves, that little Jackie tried to climb up to the highest point of vantage.
“I don’t see the fish!” he cried, and he leaned over still farther. In another instant he had overbalanced, and, with a cry of terror, he had slipped across the rail.
“There he goes!” cried Mrs. Pendleton. “Jackie has fallen!”
His father came rushing up with a cry of anguish. But Tom had been near enough to make a grab for the little chap, and he hung fast. Now a voice rang out:
“Man overboard!”
“Man overboard!” repeated the lookout. “Lower the boat!”
There was a clanging of bells in the engine room, as the propeller was reversed.
“Hold tight, Jackie!” cried Tom, as he tried to get the little fellow back over the rail. “I’ll help you. Hold tight!”