There was a good deal of sea on, and the boat tossed about fearfully. There seemed a great risk of her bows striking Jack, had the men attempted to pull directly towards him.  They soon overtook papa, but wisely kept at an oar's length on one side of him.  My heart beat as if it would jump into my throat.  It seemed to me that at any moment papa himself might sink.  I could barely distinguish Jack's head, and sometimes I thought it was only a lump of sea-weed.  He had prudently not attempted to swim, but thrown himself on his back.  The Dolphin's boat was by this time in the water, and was also making its way towards the spot; but papa was very much nearer.  I almost shouted with joy when I saw that he had got hold of Jack, and was keeping his head, which I could now more clearly distinguish, above the white foam.