"Yo! Heave! Ho!" called the leader of the sailor gang.

The anchor did not move, for it had either caught on some
projection, or the men were not using their strength.

"Lively! Lively!" cried the mate.

Suddenly Koku, who was in the crowd of passengers watching the
work, pushed his way to where the anchor lay. With a powerful,
but not rough action, he shoved the sailors aside. Then, stooping
over, he took a firm grip of the big piece of iron, planted his
feet well apart on the deck, and lifted the immense mass in his
arms. There was a round of applause from the group of passengers.

"Where you want him?" Koku calmly asked of the mate, as he
stood holding the anchor.

"Blast my marlin spikes!" cried the mate. "I never see the like
of this afore! Put her over there, shipmate. If I had you on a
voyage or two you'd be running the ship, instead of letting the
screw push her along. Put her over there," and he indicated where
he wanted the anchor.

Koku calmly walked along the deck, laid the anchor down as if
it was an ordinary weight, and passed over to where Tom stood
looking on in amused silence. There were murmurs of surprise from
the passengers at the giant's strength, and the sailors went
forward much abashed.

"Say, I'd give a good bit to have a bodyguard like that,"