oaks: 'It's
time this worthy man went ashore'--me! worthy man! 'Fowler,' she
said--you know, just like a straight order, and she didn't _mister_
him--it was plain Fowler--'Fowler,' she said, 'just tell Adamu Adam to
man the whale-boat, and while he's taking Captain Oleson ashore have your
boat put me on the _Flibberty_. The three of you sail with me, so pack
your dunnage. And the one of you that shows up best will take the mate's
billet. Captain Oleson doesn't carry a mate, you know.'

"I don't remember much after that. All hands got me over the side, and
it seems to me I went to sleep, sitting in the stern-sheets and watching
that Adamu steer. Then I saw the _Flibberty's_ mainsail hoisting, and
heard the clank of her chain coming in, and I woke up. 'Here, put me on
the _Flibberty_,' I said to Adamu. 'I put you on the beach,' said he.
'Missie Lackalanna say beach plenty good for you.' Well, I let out a
yell and reached for the steering-sweep. I was doing my best by my
owners, you see. Only that Adamu gives me a shove down on the bottom-
boards, puts one foot on me to hold me down, and goes on steering. And
that's all. The shock of the whole thing brought on fever. And now I've
come to find out whether I'm skipper of the _Flibberty_, or that chit of
yours with her pirating, heathen boat's-crew."

"Never mind, skipper. You can take a vacation on pay." Sheldon spoke
with more assurance than he felt. "If Miss Lackland, who is my partner,
has seen fit to take charge of the _Flibberty-Gibbet_, why, it is all
right. As you will agree, there was no time to be lost if the _Martha_
was to be got off. It is a bad reef, and any considerable sea would
knock her bottom out. You settle down here, skipper, and rest up and get
the fever out of your bones. When the _Flibberty-Gibbet_ comes back,
you'll take charge again, of course."

After Dr. Welshmere and the _Apostle_ departed and Captain Oleson had
turned in for a sleep in a veranda hammock, Sheldon opened Joan's letter.

DEAR MR. SHELDON,--Please forgive me for stealing the
_Flibberty-Gibbet_. I simply had to. The _Martha_ means everything
to us. Think of it, only fifty-five pounds for her, two hundred and
seventy-five dollars. If I don't save her, I know I shall be able to
pay all expenses out of her gear, which the natives will not have
carried off. And if I do save her, it is the haul of a life-time. And
if I don't save her, I'll