He felt that he had done all that humanity required of him.
Scarcely had the dull, heavy beat of the enormous engines made themselves heard in the vibrating ship than a commotion was seen in the forecastle.
Jack ran forward to ascertain the cause.
A man was seen struggling fiercely with the sailors, who were trying to detain him.
It was Bambino.
By some means, while the steamer was lying to, he had contrived to escape from the place in which he was confined.
"Stop him!" cried Jack. "Knock him down, he is dangerous."
Bambino, however, was too much for his opponents, and dashing them on one side, made a flying leap and sprung over the side into the sea.
Whether he dived like a duck or was sucked under the ship and struck by one of the flanges of the screw, it was difficult to tell.
He was looked for in all directions. The steamer was again stopped and the boat lowered, but nothing could be seen of the man overboard.