o was borne away from us by
the swellin tide. Thar's a aim for us--a high an holy aim; an now I
ask you, as feller-critters, how had we ought to go about it? Had we
ought to peek, an pine, an fret, an whine? Had we ought to snivel, and
give it up at the fust? Or had we ought, rayther, to be up an
doin,--pluck up our sperrits like men, and go about our important work
with energy? Which of these two, my friends? I pause for a reply."

This was quite a speech for Captain Corbet, and the effort seemed quite
an exhaustive one. He paused some time for a reply; but as no reply
was forthcoming, he continued his remarks.

"Now, see here," said he; "this here whole business reminds me of a
story I once read in a noospaper, about a man up in this here identical
river, the Petticoat Jack, who, like a fool, pulled up his boat on the
bank, and wont off to sleep in her. Wal, as a matter of course, he
floated off,--for the tide happened to be risin,--an when he woke up
out of his cool an refreshin slumbers, he found himself afar on the
briny deep, a boundin like 'a thing of life,' o'er the deep heavin sea.
Besides, it was precious foggy,--jest as it is now,--an the man
couldn't see any more'n we can. Wal, the story went on to say, how that
thar man, in that thar boat, went a driftin in that thar fashion, in
that thar fog; an he drifted, an drifted, an derifted, for days an
days, up an down, on one side an t'other side, an round every way,--an,
mind you, he hadn't a bit to eat, or to drink either, for that
matter,--'t any rate, the paper didn't mention no such thing; an so,
you know, he drifted, an d-e-e-e-rifted,--until at last he druv ashore.
An now, whar d'ye think he druv?"

The boys couldn't think.

"Guess, now."

The boys couldn't guess.

"D'ye guv it up?"

They did.

"Wal, the paper said, he druv ashore at Grand Manan; but I've my doubts
about it."

The captain paused, looked all around through the fog, and stood for a
moment as though listening to some sound.

"I kine o' thought," said he, "that I detected the dash of water on the
shore. I rayther think it's time to bring her round."

The vessel was brought round on another tack, and the captain resumed
his conversation.

"What I was jest sayin," he continued, "reminds me of a story I onst
heard, or read, I forget which (all the same, though), about two boys
which went adrift on a raft. It took place up in Scott's Bay, I think,
at a ship-yard in that t