chance to do something for you."

"Oh, that's all right," I replied. "I hope I never shall be in a
situation to need such help as we had a chance to give you, Captain
Mayfield."

I gave the order to clear away the boats, the davits were swung out,
and the falls manned ready to drop them into the water without a
moment's delay. The ship's company of the Olive shook hands with me,
and thanked me very warmly for what the Sylvania had done for them. I
was sorry to part with them so hastily, but the anxiety of the colonel
seemed to admit of no other course. Captain Mayfield ran the steamer
within a hundred yards of the shore by Tift's observatory. He rang to
back her, and as soon as she had lost her headway, the two boats were
dropped into the water, with two hands in each. They were then brought
up to the gangway steps, which had been rigged out for the use of the
ladies, who were all ready to embark.

We assisted Mrs. Mayfield and her daughter into the stern-sheets of
one, and the captain joined them. The boat shoved off, when the mate
and four of the sailors had stowed themselves away. The captain and the
ladies waved their adieus as soon as Dyer and Hop began to pull. Before
the port boat was off the second mate and the rest of the seamen had
piled into the starboard boat, and both were off at nearly the same
time.

I saw the seamen in both boats assisting the oarsmen, and the boats
went through the water at a lively rate. Not more than two minutes had
elapsed before the party were all on shore. Several men hastened up to
Captain Mayfield, and I saw him select one of them, who immediately
jumped into the port boat. It was hardly a minute more before the boats
were under the falls. They were rapidly hoisted up, and swung inboard.
The men leaped out of them, and Washburn rang to back the boat into
deeper water. The men secured the boats, and the person sent off went
into the pilot-house.

I looked at the clock and found we had lost less than ten minutes in
landing the wrecked party, during which time the Islander had made over
a mile. Moses Brickland had been attending to the furnaces while the
boats were absent with the two firemen, and I was sure that he had a
good head of steam on. The pilot was a swarthy person, with long black
hair, and I had no doubt he was a Conch, as Captain Mayfield had
described them to me. He was well dressed in seaman's blue clothes. I
rather liked the looks of the man, and began to feel