"It's Pat," Jack told him. "Something threw him down and then jumped overboard."
"Is he dead?" Mr. Lakewood asked anxiously.
"Only got the wind knocked out of him, I think," Bob, who was working Pat's arms up and down, replied.
After what seemed a long time the breath slowly came back to the mate's lungs and, finally, he was able to speak.
"Thot makes twice," were the first words he gasped.
"Take it easy a bit," Bob cautioned helping him to his feet.
By this time Captain Ole and two of the sailors had joined the party and, after waiting a few minutes until he had fully recovered his wind, Pat told them what had happened.
"Faith an' it's meself as was standin' by the railin' thar lookin' out over the water, whin somethin' grabbed me from fornist before I had time ter turn. He got his arm around me neck an' all but had me wind shut off fer a minute. But I got me neck free an' we wint at it. But it's meself as'll tell the world he's strong. Sure an' I'm some scrapper meself but that guy'd had me if the byes had'n scared him off so he would."
"And you heard nothing before he tackled you?" Mr. Lakewood asked.
"Niver a bit."