ll.

"What?" said the other. "O, that! It's music; it's a phrase of
Beethoven's I was writing up. It means Destiny knocking at the door."

"Does it?" said the captain, rather low; and he went near and studied
the inscription. "And this French?" he asked, pointing to the Latin.

"O, it just means I should have been luckier if I had died at home,"
returned Herrick impatiently. "What is this business?"

"Destiny knocking at the door," repeated the captain; and then, looking
over his shoulder, "Well, Mr. Herrick, that's about what it comes to,"
he added.

"What do you mean? Explain yourself," said Herrick.

But the captain was again staring at the music. "About how long ago
since you wrote up this truck?" he asked.

"What does it matter?" exclaimed Herrick. "I daresay half an hour."

"My God, it's strange!" cried Davis. "There's some men would call that
accidental: not me. That----" and he drew his thick finger under the
music--"that's what I call Providence."

"You said we had a chance," said Herrick.

"Yes, _sir_!" said the captain, wheeling suddenly face to face with his
companion. "I did so. If you're the man I take you for, we have a
chance."

"I don't know what you take me for," was the reply. "You can scarce take
me too low."

"Shake hands, Mr. Herrick," said the captain. "I know you. You're a
gentleman and a man of spirit. I didn't want to speak before that bummer
there; you'll see why. But to you I'll rip it right out. I got a ship."

"A ship?" cried Herrick. "What ship?"

"That schooner we saw this morning off the passage."

"That schooner with the hospital flag?"

"That's the hooker," said Davis. "She's the _Farallone_, hundred and
sixty tons register, out of 'Frisco for Sydney, in California champagne.
Captain, mate, and one hand all died of the small-pox, same as they had
round in the Paumotus, I guess. Captain and mate were the only white
men; all the hands Kanakas; seems a queer kind of outfit from a
Christian port. Three of them left and a cook; didn't know where they
were; I can't think where they were either, if you come to that; Wiseman
must have been on the booze, I guess, to sail the course he did.
However, there _he_ was, dead; and here are the Kanakas as good as lost.
They bummed around at sea like the babes in the wood; and tumbled end-on
upon Tahiti. The consul here took charge. He offered the berth to
Williams; Williams had never had the small-pox and backed down. That was
when