and dashed itself upon the rocks, while the floating
object seemed to be thrown farther out. The tide had turned already,
and was now on the ebb, so that floating articles, such as this, were
carried away from the shore, rather than towards it.

Upon this Captain Corbet fastened his gaze, and stood in silence
looking at it. At length he put his hand on Phil's shoulder, and
directed the attention of the boys to the floating object.

"Do you see that?" said he.

"What?"

"That thing."

"What--that round thing?"

"Yes, that round thing. Look sharp at it now. What doos it look like
to your young eyes?"

Phil and Pat looked at it very carefully, and in silence. Then Phil
looked up into Captain Corbet's face without saying a word.

"Wal?"

"What is it, do you think?" asked Phil, in a low voice.

"What do YOU think?"

"Sure an it's a hat--a sthraw hat," said Pat.

Captain Corbet exchanged a meaning glance with Phil.

"Do you think it's HIS hat?" asked Phil.

"Whose else can it be?"

Phil was silent, and his gaze was once more directed to the floating
object. As it rose and fell on the waves, it showed the unmistakable
outline of a straw hat, and was quite near enough for them to recognize
its general character and color. It was dark, with the edges rather
ragged, a broad brim, and a roomy crown, not by any means of a
fashionable or graceful shape, but coarse, and big, and roomy, and
shabby--just such a hat as Solomon had put on his head when he left
Grand Pre with them on this memorable and ill-fated voyage.

They looked at it for a long time in silence, and none of them moved.

Captain Corbet heaved a deep sigh.

"This here," said he, "has been a eventfool vyge. I felt a derred
persentment afore I started. Long ago I told you how the finger of
destiny seemed to warn me away from the ocean main. I kem to the
conclusion, you remember, that henceforth I was to dwell under my own
vine an fig tree, engaged in the tender emplymint of nussin the infant.
But from this I was forced agin my own inclynations. An what's the
result? Why, this--that thar hat! See here, boys;" and the venerable
seaman's tone grew deeper, and more solemn, and more impressive; "see
here, boys," he repeated; "for mor'n forty year hev I follered the
seas, an traversed the briny deep; but, though I've hed my share of
storms an accydints, though I've ben shipwrecked onst or twiste, yet
never has it ben my lot to experience any