No soul is clinging there!
But a huge shark appears for a moment in the bright starlight, swims half-way round the buoy, and disappears with an ugly plash.
"Ah, lads," says the officer, "that tiger of the seas has had his supper. We can do no more. Stand by to ship the buoy."
This was got inboard and steadied forward in the bows, and after pulling around slowly for a short time, the lifeboat was headed once more for the now distant ship.
"Pull easy, men—pull easy."
The poor fellows were terribly pumped.
"Hark!" cried the first-class boy Harris. "Did you hear that cry, sir?"
It was the same lad who had been planked by Sturdy for skylarking in church: a bold and fearless young fellow he was.
"Hark, sir, there it is again!"
"Lie on your oars, men.—You must have 'cute ears, boy. I heard nothing."