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146 to the side of the raft as the Bo'sun, like Yser, rolling rapidly, toward the door, howled: "A whale! A whale! I am being eaten alive; the beastly thing has bitten me in halves."

"How rotten," said the Captain, eyeing the rotating Bo'sun dubiously. "I suppose I must eat the Crew now," and turned in time to see the last chocolate disappear, enfolded in the long, pink tongue of that treacherous and greedy insubordinate. With a yell of rage the Captain drew his sheath-knife and sprang at the Crew with so flashing an eye and menacing a mien that the Crew leapt overboard and swam in the direction of the body of the Bo'sun, namely, towards the door which—even as the Captain smote his forehead with a cry of "Ruined! Starvation stares me in the stomach"—opened to admit Buster beneath whose arm there shone refulgent a mighty box of butter-scotch.

"Saved!" cried the Captain, raising his hands and upturned beatific face to Heaven.

"Golly! So am I," echoed the Bo'sun, rising like Venus from the waves, or a second Jonah from the temporary accommodation afforded by the whale.