I need scarcely say to my readers that my companion Peterkin was in
the habit of using very remarkable and peculiar phrases. And I am
free to confess that I did not well understand the meaning of some
of them, - such, for instance, as "the very ticket;" but I think it
my duty to recount everything relating to my adventures with a
strict regard to truthfulness in as far as my memory serves me; so
I write, as nearly as possible, the exact words that my companions
spoke. I often asked Peterkin to explain what he meant by
"ticket," but he always answered me by going into fits of laughter.
However, by observing the occasions on which he used it, I came to
understand that it meant to show that something was remarkably
good, or fortunate.

On coming up we found that Peterkin was vainly endeavouring to pull
the axe out of the oar, into which, it will be remembered, Jack
struck it while endeavouring to cut away the cordage among which it
had become entangled at the bow of the ship. Fortunately for us
the axe had remained fast in the oar, and even now, all Peterkin's
strength could not draw it out of the cut.

"Ah! that is capital indeed," cried Jack, at the same time giving
the axe a wrench that plucked it out of the tough wood. "How
fortunate this is! It will be of more value to us than a hundred
knives, and the edge is quite new and sharp."

"I'll answer for the toughness of the handle at any rate," cried
Peterkin; "my arms are nearly pulled out of the sockets. But see
here, our luck is great. There is iron on the blade." He pointed
to a piece of hoop iron, as he spoke, which had been nailed round