human
A lion! exclaimed Jack,
gpt
That explains the mystery of those noises and the predicament of those poor fellows crowded on the stern away from the boats,
human
But--but I don't understand,
gpt
That ship has a cargo of wild animals on board, explained Mr. Billings.
human
Such shipments are regularly made from Hamburg, her hailing port, to America. Most probably she had lions, tigers, leopards, great serpents and other animals on board. When her bow was stove in a number of cages were smashed and the wild beasts escaped.
gpt
That accounts for the shooting I saw, then, exclaimed Jack;
human
Unquestionably. I am glad I brought my own shooting iron, said Mr. Billings.
gpt
I packed it along in case we had trouble with a mutinous crew.
human
Pull round the stern, my lads,
gpt
Aye, aye, sir,
human
Thank heaven you've come! exclaimed the captain, whose haggard countenance showed all that he had been through.
gpt
We're just about at our last ditch. The animals we were taking from Jamrachs, in Hamburg, for an American circus, broke loose after the collision with the derelict. They've killed two of my men and maimed another.
human
All right, my hearties, just hold on a minute and we'll have you out of that,