nd Sarah Block was held
in restraint, not by pecuniary considerations, but by Sammy's sense of
the fitness of things. He nearly always edited her messages, even when
he consented to send them. One communication he positively refused to
transmit. She came to him in a great flurry.

"Sammy," said she, "I have just found out something, and I can't rest
until I have told Mrs. Raleigh. I won't mention it here, because it
might frighten some people into fits and spasms. Sammy, do you know
there are thirteen people on board this boat?"

"Sarah Block!" ejaculated her husband, "what in the name of common-sense
are you talkin' about? What earthly difference can it make whether there
are thirteen people on this vessel or twelve? And if it did make any
difference, what are you goin' to do about it? Do you expect anybody to
get out?"

"Of course I don't," replied Sarah; "although there are some of them
that would not have come in if I had had my say about it; but as Mrs.
Raleigh is one of the owners, and such a good friend to you and me,
Sammy, it is our duty to let her know what dreadful bad luck we are
carryin' with us."

"Don't you suppose she knows how many people are aboard?" said Sammy.

"Of course she knows; but she don't consider what it means, or we
wouldn't all have been here. It is her right to know, Sammy. Perhaps she
might order us to go back to Cape Tariff and put somebody ashore."

In his heart Samuel Block believed that if this course were adopted
he was pretty sure who would be put on shore, if a vote were taken by
officers and crew; but he was too wise to say anything upon this point,
and contented himself with positively refusing to send southward any
news of the evil omen.

The next day Mrs. Block felt that she must speak upon the subject or
perish, and she asked Mr. Gibbs what he thought of there being thirteen
people on board.

"Madam," said he, "these signs lose all their powers above the
seventieth parallel of latitude. In fact, none of them have ever been
known to come true above sixty-eight degrees and forty minutes, and we
are a good deal higher than that, you know."

Sarah made no answer, but she told her husband afterwards that she
thought that Mr. Gibbs had his mind so full of electricity that it had
no room for old-fashioned common-sense. It did not do to sneer at signs
and portents. Among the earliest things she remembered was a story which
had been told her of her grandmother's brother, wh