“Of course I gave a good look all round as soon as there was light enough to see properly; but there warn’t so much as a gull in sight, and away to the nor’ard, and east’ard where I knowed you was, the sun dazzled my eyes so’s I couldn’t see.
“Well, ’twas just as I’d caught a glimpse, as I thought, of the peak of the Lily’s gaff-topsail, that I sees, about fifty fathom away, the fin of that shark scullin’ quietly along. I kept pretty still, you may swear, hoping he’d pass me. But—not he. Down goes his helm, and he takes a sheer my way, and I thought it was all up with me.
“He ranged up alongside as quiet as you please, hows’ever, and just dodged round and round me, off and on, as if he didn’t quite know what I was made of.
“I expect it was the flutterin’ of the flag overhead as he didn’t understand; but, any way, he kept very quiet and peaceable for a good long spell, and I was beginnin’ to hope he wouldn’t have no truck with me. And, to cheer me up still more, I sees the little Lily coming back to look for her chief-mate.
“If you’ll believe me, Harry, I’m of opinion that devil saw you comin’ as well as myself, and that he knowed he’d have to make up his mind pretty soon, or lose me altogether, for he began to swim round me now tolerable smart, and presently he makes a dive.
“I’d made up my mind what to do as soon as he took to that game; and I starts splashing hands and legs all I knowed, and shouting too, like fury; and presently he comes up again.
“Well, the chap kept me that busy, I hadn’t a minute to spare; and when you ranged up alongside I was that tired out I didn’t know how to make another splash.”
“So much for going to sleep in your watch on deck, Master Bob,” said I, as the mate brought his yarn to a conclusion.
“Ay! more shame to me that I should ever have done such a thing,” replied he, greatly crestfallen; “but I lay the blame of the whole consarn, from beginnin’ to end, on that — sarpent, though no amount of sarpents will excuse a man fallin’ asleep in his watch, more especially when he has charge of the deck.”
“Well,” said I, “you have been pretty well punished for your fault, old man, at all events. But ‘all’s well that ends well;’ and I am heartily glad that you are so well out of the scrape. And now, I shall insist on your going to your hammock for the rest of the day, and I’ll take care of the craft. In fact, she will almost steer herself in this weather, so I shall manage very well indeed. Only don’t have any more dreams which will cause you to jump overboard, please, for I really cannot afford to lose you.”