the showering moonbeams. All
hands--O'Gorman included--except the man at the wheel, were on the
forecastle-head, intently watching her, and talking eagerly together, so
I had a good opportunity to take a leisurely survey of her, and draw my
conclusions as to her nationality. I went to the companion, secured the
night-glass, and took a good look at her; with the result that I
concluded her to be of French or Italian nationality--rather an awkward
and unexpected development for me, I having foolishly taken it for
granted that she would prove to be British and written my letter in
English accordingly. And yet, perhaps, if my surmise should prove to be
correct, I might be afforded a better opportunity to make an effective
appeal for assistance than if the craft were British, for I gravely
doubted whether O'Gorman or any of his people spoke French or Italian,
and if that were the case they would probably require me to act as
interpreter for them, and thus afford me just such an opportunity as I
desired. On the other hand, I could not but feel that an appeal for
help, made to a French or an Italian crew, was much less likely to meet
with a favourable response than if made to a crew of Britons.

These reflections passed through my mind as I stood peering through the
tube at the becalmed barque; it did not need a very prolonged scrutiny
to enable me to learn all that was possible of her at that distance, and
presently I replaced the glass in its beckets, and proceeded to saunter
fore and aft the deck, from the wake of the main rigging to the wheel
grating, smoking meditatively the while.

By the time that I had smoked my pipe out we had neared the barque to
within less than half, a mile; and I was momentarily expecting to hear
O'Gorman give the order to round-to and lower away the boat--wondering,
meanwhile, how on earth I could possibly contrive to get my letter
conveyed to the skipper--when the Irishman came shambling aft and,
placing himself at my side, inquired:

"Well, misther, have you finished your shmoke?"

"Yes," I answered curtly. "Why do you ask the question, pray?"

"Because," he replied, "I'll have to ask ye to just step down below _and
stay there for the rest of the night_!"

"To step down below--and stay there?" I repeated indignantly. "What do
you mean, man? Surely I am not to be sent to my bunk like a child,
whether I wish to go or not?"

"Bedad, but ye are thin; so make no more bones about it!"