from　ear　to　ear。
  〃The　only　thing　I　fear；〃　said　Staines；　〃is　that；　the　moment　he
  takes　the　bait；　he　will　cut　the　wire　before　I　can　complete　the
  circuit；　and　fire　the　fuse。〃
  Nevertheless；　there　was　another　objection　to　the　success　of　the
  experiment。　　The　shark　had　disappeared。
  〃Well；〃　said　the　captain；　〃at　all　events；　you　have　frightened　him
  away。〃
  〃No；〃　said　little　Tadcaster；　white　as　a　ghost；　〃he　is　only　under
  water；　I　know；　waitingwaiting。〃
  〃There　he　is；〃　cried　one　in　the　ratlines。
  There　was　a　rush　to　the　taffrailgreat　excitement。
  〃Keep　clear　of　me；〃　said　Staines　quietly　but　firmly。　　〃It　can　only
  be　done　at　the　moment　before　he　cuts　the　wire。〃
  The　old　shark　swam　slowly　round　the　bait。
  He　saw　it　was　something　new。
  He　swam　round　and　round　it。
  〃He　won't　take　it；〃　said　one。
  〃He　suspects　something。〃
  〃Oh；　yes；　he　will　take　the　meat　somehow；　and　leave　the　pepper。　　Sly
  old　fox！〃
  〃He　has　eaten　many　a　poor　Jack；　that　one。〃
  The　shark　turned　slowly　on　his　back；　and；　instead　of　grabbing　at
  the　bait；　seemed　to　draw　it　by　gentle　suction　into　that　capacious
  throat；　ready　to　blow　it　out　in　a　moment　if　it　was　not　all　right。
  The　moment　the　bait　was　drawn　out　of　sight；　Staines　completed　the
  circuit；　the　bottle　exploded　with　a　fury　that　surprised　him　and
  everybody　who　saw　it；　a　ton　of　water　flew　into　the　air；　and　came
  down　in　spray；　and　a　gory　carcass　floated；　belly　uppermost；　visibly
  staining　the　blue　water。
  There　was　a　roar　of　amazement　and　applause。
  The　carcass　was　towed　alongside；　at　Tadcaster's　urgent　request；　and
  then　the　power　of　the　explosion　was　seen。　　Confined；　first　by　the
  bottle；　then　by　the　meat；　then　by　the　fish；　and　lastly　by　the
  water；　it　had　exploded　with　tenfold　power；　had　blown　the　brute's
  head　into　a　million　atoms；　and　had　even　torn　a　great　furrow　in　its
  carcass；　exposing　three　feet　of　the　backbone。
  Taddy　gloated　on　his　enemy；　and　began　to　pick　up　again　from　that
  hour。
  The　wind　improved；　and；　as　usual　in　that　latitude；　scarcely　varied
  a　point。　　They　had　a　pleasant　time；private　theatricals　and　other
  amusements　till　they　got　to　latitude　26　deg。　S。　and　longitude　27
  deg。　W。　　Then　the　trade　wind　deserted　them。　　Light　and　variable
  winds　succeeded。
  The　master　complained　of　the　chronometers；　and　the　captain　thought
  it　his　duty　to　verify　or　correct　them；　and　so　shaped　his　course　for
  the　island　of　Tristan　d'Acunha；　then　lying　a　little　way　out　of　his
  course。　　I　ought；　perhaps；　to　explain　to　the　general　reader　that
  the　exact　position　of　this　island　being　long　ago　established　and
  recorded；　it　was　an　infallible　guide　to　go　by　in　verifying　a　ship's
  chronometers。
  Next　day　the　glass　fell　all　day；　and　the　captain　said　he　should
  double…reef　topsails　at　nightfall；　for　something　was　brewing。
  The　weather；　however；　was　fine；　and　the　ship　was　sailing　very　fast；
  when；　about　half　an　hour　before　sunset；　the　mast…head　man　hailed
  that　there　was　a　bulk　of　timber　in　sight；　broad　on　the　weather…bow。
  The　signalman　was　sent　up；　and　said　it　looked　like　a　raft。
  The　captain；　who　was　on　deck；　levelled　his　glass　at　it；　and　made　it
  out　a　raft；　with　a　sort　of　rail　to　it；　and　the　stump　of　a　mast。
  He　ordered　the　officer　of　the　watch　to　keep　the　ship　as　close　to
  the　wind　as　possible。　　He　should　like　to　examine　it　if　he　could。
  The　master　represented；　respectfully；　that　it　would　be　unadvisable
  to　beat　to　windward　for　that。　　〃I　have　no　faith　in　our
  chronometers；　sir；　and　it　is　important　to　make　the　island　before
  dark；　fogs　rise　here　so　suddenly。〃
  〃Very　well；　Mr。　Bolt；　then　I　suppose　we　must　let　the　raft　go。〃
  〃MAN　ON　THE　RAFT　TO　WINDWARD！〃　hailed　the　signalman。
  This　electrified　the　ship。　　The　captain　ran　up　the　mizzen　rigging；
  and　scanned　the　raft；　now　nearly　abeam。
  〃It　IS　a　man！〃　he　cried；　and　was　about　to　alter　the　ship's　course
  when；　at　that　moment；　the　signalman　hailed　again；
  〃IT　IS　A　CORPSE。〃
  〃How　d'ye　know？〃
  〃By　the　gulls。〃
  Then　succeeded　an　exciting　dialogue　between　the　captain　and　the
  master；　who；　being　in　his　department；　was　very　firm；　and　went　so
  far　as　to　say　he　would　not　answer　for　the　safety　of　the　ship；　if
  they　did　not　sight　the　land　before　dark。
  The　captain　said；　〃Very　well；〃　and　took　a　turn　or　two。　　But　at　last
  he　said；　〃No。　　Her　Majesty's　ship　must　not　pass　a　raft　with　a　man
  on　it；　dead　or　alive。〃
  He　then　began　to　give　the　necessary　orders；　but　before　they　were
  all　out　of　his　mouth；　a　fatal　interruption　occurred。
  Tadcaster　ran　into　Dr。　Staines's　cabin；　crying；　〃A　raft　with　a
  corpse　close　by！〃
  Staines　sprang　to　the　quarter　port　to　see；　and　craning　eagerly　out；
  the　lower　port　chain；　which　had　not　been　well　secured；　slipped；　the
  port　gave　way；　and　as　his　whole　weight　rested　on　it；　canted　him
  headlong　into　the　sea。
  A　smart　seaman　in　the　forechains　saw　the　accident；　and　instantly
  roared　out；　〃MAN　OVERBOARD！〃　a　cry　that　sends　a　thrill　through　a
  ship's　very　ribs。
  Another　smart　fellow　cut　the　life…buoy　adrift　so　quickly　that　it
  struck　the　water　within　ten　yards　of　Staines。
  The　officer　of　the　watch；　without　the　interval　of　half　a　moment；
  gave　the　right　orders；　in　the　voice　of　a　stentor；
  〃Let　go　life…buoy。
  〃Life…boat's　crew　away。
  〃Hands　shorten　sail。
  〃Mainsel　up。
  〃Main　topsel　to　mast。〃
  These　orders　were　executed　with　admirable　swiftness。　　Meantime
  there　was　a　mighty　rush　of　feet　throughout　the　frigate；　every
  hatchway　was　crammed　with　men　eager　to　force　their　way　on　deck。
  In　five　seconds　the　middy　of　the　watch　and　half　her　crew　were　in
  the　lee　cutter；　fitted　with　Clifford's　apparatus。
  〃Lower　away！〃　cried　the　excited　officer；　〃the　others　will　come　down
  by　the　pendants。〃
  The　man　stationed；　sitting　on　the　bottom　boards；　eased　away
  roundly；　when　suddenly　there　was　a　hitchthe　boat　would　go　no
  farther。
  〃Lower　away　there　in　the　cutter！　　Why　don't　you　lower？〃　screamed
  the　captain；　who　had　come　over　to　leeward　expecting　to　see　the　boat
  in　the　water。
  〃The　rope　has　swollen；　sir；　and　the　pendants　won't　unreeve；〃　cried
  the　middy　in　agony。
  〃Volunteers　for　the　weather…boat！〃　shouted　the　first　lieutenant；
  but　the　order　was　unnecessary；　for　more　than　the　proper　number　were
  in　her　already。
  〃Plug　inlower　away。〃
  But　mishaps　never　come　singly。　　Scarcely　had　this　boat　gone　a　foot
  from　the　davit；　than　the　volunteer　who　was　acting　as　coxswain；　in
  reaching　out　for　something；　inadvertently　let　go　the　line；　which；
  in　Kynaston's　apparatus；　keeps　the　tackles　hooked；　consequently；
  down　went　the　boat　and　crew　twenty　feet；　with　a　terrific　crash；　the
  men　were　struggling　for　their　lives；　and　the　boat　was　stove。
  But；　meantime；　more　men　having　been　sent　into　the　lee　cutter；　their
  weight　caused　the　pendants　to　render；　and　the　boat　got　afloat；　and
  was　soon　employed　picking　up　the　struggling　crew。
  Seeing　this；　Lieutenant　Fitzroy　collected　some　hands；　and　lowered
  the　life…boat　gig；　which　was　fitted　with　common　tackles；　got　down
  into　her　himself　by　the　falls；　and　pulling　round　to　windward；
  shouted　to　the　signalman　for　directions。
  The　signalman　was　at　his　post；　and　had　fixed　his　eye　on　the　man
  overboard；　as　his　duty　was；　but　his　mess…mate　was　in　the　stove
  boat；　and　he　had　cast　one　anxious　look　down　to　see　if　he　was　saved；
  and；　sad　to　relate；　in　that　one　moment　he　had　lost　sight　of
  Staines；　the　sudden　darknessthere　was　no　twilightconfused　him
  more；　and　the　ship　had　increased　her　drift。
  Fitzroy；　however；　made　a　rapid　calculation；　and　pulled　to　windward
  with　all　his　might。　　He　was　followed　in　about　a　minute　by　the　other
  sound　boat　powerfully　manned；　and　both　boats　melted　away　into　the
  night。
  There　was　a　long　and　anxious　suspense；　during　which　it　became　pitch
  dark；　and　the　ship　burned　blue　lights　to　mark　her　position　more
  plainly　to　the　crews　that　were　groping　the　sea　for　that　beloved
  passenger。
  Captain　Hamilton　had　no　doubt　that　the　fate　of　Staines　was　decided；
  one　way　or　other；　long　before　this；　but　he　kept　quiet　until　he　saw
  the　plain　signs　of　a　squall　at　hand。　　Then；　as　he　was　responsible
  for　the　safety　of　boats　and　ship；　he　sent　up　rockets　to　recall
  them。
  The　cutter　came　alongside　first。　　Lights　were　poured　on　her；　and
  quavering　voices　asked；　〃Have　you　got　him？〃
  The　answer　was　dead　silence；　and　sorrowful；　drooping　heads。
  Sadly　and　reluctantly　was　the　order　given　to　hoist　the　boat　in。
  Then　the　gig　came　alongside。　　Fitzroy　seated　in　her；　with　his　hands
  before　his　face；　the　men　gloomy　and　sad。
  〃GONE！　　GONE！〃
  Soon　the　ship　was　battling　a　heavy　squall。
  At　midnight　all　quiet　again；　and　hove　to。　　Then；　at　the　request　of
  many；　the　bell　was　tolled；　and　the　ship's　company　mustered
  bareheaded；　and　many　a　stout　seaman　in　tears；　as　the　last　service
  was　read　for　Christopher　Staines。
  CHAPTER　XIV。
  Rosa　fell　ill　with　grief　at　the　hotel；　and　could　not　move　for　some
  days；　but　the　moment　she　was　strong　enough；　she　insisted　on　leaving
  Plymouth：　like　all　wounded　things；　she　must　drag　herself　home。
  But　what　a　home！　　How　empty　it　struck；　and　she　heart…sick　and
  desolate。　　Now　all　the　familiar　places　wore　a　new　aspect：　the
  little　yard；　where　he　had　so　walked　and　waited；　became　a　temple　to
  her；　and　she　came　out　and　sat　in　it；　and　now