"I've d-d-d-done it," he cried, shrieking with laughter. "I'm even with you n-n-n-n-now! M-m-m-m-mizzen he l-l-l-learned the parrot to m-m-m-mock me, he did, and Cook he b-b-b-basted me in the g-g-g-galley all the t-t-t-t-time, and now I'm e-e-e-even with all of 'em. They ain't g-g-g-going to t-t-t-torment me no m-m-m-m-more! I stole the dippers and th-th-th-threw 'em overboard, every last one of 'em, and n-n-n-now you're g-g-g-going to s-s-sink, sink, si-i-_ink_, d-d-d-down, down, d-d-d-_down_, to the bottom of the--bottom of the s-s-s-_sea_!" He laughed louder than before, and the angry Cook sprang forward to climb up after him, but just then the ship gave a violent lurch backwards, nearly upsetting everyone, and settled down by the stern, so that that end of the boat was completely under water. Aunt Amanda screamed. Toby and Mr. Punch came to her at once and supported her on each side. There was a great hubbub. Everyone tried to speak at once. Freddie felt his hand grasped in the strong hand of Mr. Toby, and he began to feel somewhat less afraid. Over the hubbub could be heard the Cabin-boy's wild laugh. "Everybody quiet!" shouted Mr. Mizzen. "We must think what we had better do." "Yes, yes," cried a number of voices. "What are we going to do?" "I wish," said Mr. Mizzen, thoughtfully, "I wish we had thought to bring a rowboat with us." "What!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Do you mean to tell me that you came away on this long journey without an extra boat?" "We didn't think of it," said Mr. Mizzen. "We had plenty of dippers, and we never thought of anybody's throwing them overboard." "No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together. "We never thought of that!" "Then bring out the life-preservers at once!" said Aunt Amanda. "And be quick about it!" "We haven't any," said Mr. Mizzen. "What would have been the use of life-preservers if the dippers were all on board? We never thought we would need them." "No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together. "We never thought of that!" "Then think of something now," said Aunt Amanda. "Don't you see the ship's settling deeper in the water?" The ship was in fact deeper in the water. It was sinking rapidly. The deck began to list so much towards the stern that it was difficult to stand on it. The ship was making no headway whatever. The breeze was even lighter than before, and the sails were hanging limp. It would have taken a stiff wind indeed to have moved that water-logged boat; and it lay as if moored to a float, going up and down heavily in the long swell. "Do you--er--think," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "that we are in--er--danger?" "Danger!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Something must be done! Are you going to let us drown without turning a hand?" "There's only one thing to do," said Mr. Mizzen, "and I don't know whether it will work or not; but we can try it. Boys, bring up all the mattresses from the cabins, and a coil of rope! Look alive, now!"