"Now, I think, we can make another attempt to find that axe of the carpenter's in the fo'c's'le, if you are not too tired, Jake, to go in after it again ?" "Bress you, no, Mass' Captain, me no tire' at all! Me get axe in brace ob shakes, if um dar," answered the willing fellow, laughing and showing his shining ivory teeth as he opened his mouth from ear to ear; and, almost as soon as he had uttered the words, he ran along the bulwarks towards the fore part of the ship, scrambled out into the main rigging, and dived into the sea immediately over the opening into the forecastle, at the same spot where he had previously gone down.
Once, twice, he came up to the surface again to take breath after a lengthened stay under the water; but, each time he rose with empty hands.
A third time he reappeared, still unsuccessful; and then we began to give up hope, although watching him all the while with the most intense anxiety.
None spoke a word, hardly daring to move.
Our interest in his actions was keen to intensity! Our fate seemed trembling in the balance.
Once more he dived.
This was the fourth time he had ventured beneath the sea in his search for the coveted weapon, which was to free the ship from the cumbersome masts and top-hamper that kept her down on her beam-ends.
Unless we got the axe we would never be able to right her again; and we all regarded this dive of Jake's as the last chance, although we did not exchange a syllable--our looks expressed our thoughts.
Jake now remained longer below than he had yet done, so we feared some mishap had befallen him; but, just as Jackson was preparing to dive down into the water that covered the forecastle, to see what had become of him, the plucky darkey popped up above the surface, holding something in one hand as he swam with the other towards the main rigging.
Our hearts beat high with expectation.
In another minute, Jake had mounted into the shrouds, when our suspense was quickly relieved; for, no sooner had he clambered near enough to the ship's side to get a support for his feet, than he raised himself erect.
"Golly, Mass' Cap'en," he sang out in feeble accents, being now pretty well exhausted with his repeated efforts, "I'se got him at last! I'se got him at last!" At the same time, he lifted up whatever it was he held in his hand, and tried to wave it round his head in token of his victory.
It was Adze's axe.
"Hooray!" shouted Captain Miles at the extreme pitch of his voice, and the responsive cheer we raised in chorus might have been heard more than a mile away..