f to the officers, who concluded
to defer any examination until morning. The gale began to abate about
midnight, and at nine o'clock in the morning it had so far subsided
that the cabin mess, leaving Mr. Brewster in charge of the deck, went
below to get breakfast.

"The swell is tremendous," said the skipper, as we were endeavoring to
get seated around the table. "I think I never saw a much heavier sea
in any part of the world. Look out, there!"

But the caution was given too late; the ship had risen on an enormous
wave as the skipper had spoken, and when she plunged, the steward
pitched headlong over the cabin table, closely followed by the third
mate, who had grasped his camp-stool for support, and still clung
pertinaciously to it. The ship righted, leaving Langley's corpus
extended at full length among a wreck of broken crockery.

"Well, Mr. Langley," said the skipper, "I hope you enjoy your
breakfast."

"Bill," added the mate, as Langley gathered himself up, "as you've got
through your breakfast so expeditiously, hadn't you better go on deck
and let Mr. Brewster come down?"

"Beg your pardon, sir; but don't you see I'm laid on the table--there
can be no action about me at present."

"Well, sit down and try to preserve your gravity. I hope to see no
more such flights of nonsense at this table."

"Steward," asked the skipper, after we had nearly finished our meal,
"how is your patient this morning?"

"It's enough to make any body out of patience, sar, to fall ober de
cabin table. So tan't werry first rate."

"No, so I perceive; but I mean, how's the man who came on board us
last night?"

"Oh, dat's him--excuse me, sar. Well, sar, he's quite smart dis
mornin'."

"Fetch him out here, I wish to ask him some questions; give him a
shirt and trowsers of mine, and fetch him out."

The steward soon made his appearance again, in company with the
stranger, who, now dressed clean, looked to be a stout, powerful man,
apparently about thirty-five; but his long, tangled, black hair and
whiskers so concealed his features, that their expression could not be
discerned. He bowed as he entered the cabin, and in good English
thanked the captain for his care.

"Sit down upon the stool yonder," said the skipper, "and tell us the
name and nation of your vessel, and by what miracle you escaped; and
afterward you shall have some breakfast."

"The name of the vessel, senor, was the San Diego, the _guarda-costa_
upon this st