e wer'n't nothin' a stirrin' or goin' on; and so we was all
took aback, when 'bout four o'clock in the arternoon there come a
boat alongside, with a tall, elegant lady in it, all dressed in deep
mournin'. She rared up sort o' princess-like, and come aboard our ship,
and wanted to speak to Cap'n Tucker. Where she come from, or what she
wanted, or where she was goin' to, we none on us knew: she kep' her veil
down so we couldn't get sight o' her face. All was, she must see Cap'n
Tucker alone right away.

"Wal, Cap'n Tucker he was like the generality o' cap'ns. He was up to
'bout every thing that any _man_ could do, but it was pretty easy for a
woman to come it over him. Ye see, cap'ns, they don't see women as men
do ashore. They don't have enough of 'em to get tired on 'em; and every
woman's an angel to a sea-cap'n. Anyway, the cap'n he took her into his
cabin, and he sot her a chair, and was her humble servant to command,
and what would she have of him? And we was all a winkin', and a nudgin'
each other, and a peekin' to see what was to come o' it. And she see
it; and so she asks, in a sort o' princess' way, to speak to the cap'n
alone; and so the doors was shut, and we was left to our own ideas, and
a wonderin' what it was all to be about.

"Wal, you see, it come out arterwards all about what went on; and things
went this way. Jest as soon as the doors was shut, and she was left
alone with the cap'n, she busted out a cryin' and a sobbin' fit to break
her heart.

"Wal, the cap'n he tried to comfort her up: but no, she wouldn't be
comforted, but went on a weepin' and a wailin,' and a wringin' on her
hands, till the poor cap'n's heart was a'most broke; for the cap'n was
the tenderest-hearted critter that could be, and couldn't bear to see a
child or a woman in trouble noways.

"'O cap'n!' said she, 'I'm the most unfortunate woman. I'm all alone
in the world,' says she, 'and I don't know what'll become of me ef you
don't keep me,' says she.

"Wal, the cap'n thought it was time to run up his colors; and so says
he, 'Ma'am, I'm a married man, and love my wife,' says he, 'and so I can
feel for all women in distress,' says he.

"Oh, well, then!' says she,'you can feel for me, and know how to pity
me. My dear husband's just died suddenly when he was up the river. He
was took with the fever in the woods. I nussed him day and night,'
says she; 'but he died there in a mis'able little hut far from home
and friends,' says she;