d to feel
safe besides, we had better up anchor, and I upped it. But I had ought
to remembered about that light; it wasn't the square thing to be
driftin' about without the light, no more fur me than fur ye. I've
sounded a good many times, but we don't seem to have reached the bar
yet. It must be pretty near time for Abner to turn out," and he looked
at his watch.

"Your assistant must be a sound sleeper," I remarked.

"Yes, he is," replied the man. "He needs lots of sleep, and I make it a
p'int to give it to him. If it isn't positively necessary, I don't wake
him up until the regular time. Of course, if it had been our boat that
had been stoved in, and she had been like to sink, I'd have called
Abner; but as it was yer boat, and none of us was in no danger, I didn't
call him. Here he is, though, on time."

At this, a tall, lean man, not quite so much grizzled as the other, made
his appearance on deck. He gazed from one to the other of us, and upon
our various belongings, which were strewn upon the deck, with
undisguised amazement.

His companion laughed aloud. "I don't wonder, Abner," he cried, "that ye
open yer eyes; 't ain't often two gentlemen come on board in the night,
bag and baggage; but these two stoved in their boat agin our rudder, and
here they are, with their craft triced up to keep her from sinkin'."

Abner made no answer, but walked to the side of the vessel, looked over,
and satisfied himself that this last statement was correct.

"Capt'n Jabe," said he, turning to the other, "we can't sail much, can
we, with that thing hangin' there?"

"Well, now, Abner," replied the captain, "we are not sailin' at the
present time,--we are driftin'; for it is my idee to drop anchor as soon
as we get to Simpson's Bar, and this tide is bound to carry us over it
if we wait long enough, so we must keep soundin', and not slip over
without knowin' it."

"It strikes me," said Abner, "that we should save a lot of trouble if we
should put the anchor out and let it hang; then, when we come to the
bar, she'll ketch and fetch us up without our havin' it on our minds."

"You see, gents," said Captain Jabe to us, "Abner don't pretend to be no
sailor, but he's got his idees about navigation, for all that."

Abner took no notice of this remark. "Capt'n," said he, "does these
gents want to turn in?"

"Not till they have had some breakfast," replied Captain Jabe, and we
assented.

"All right," said Abner, "I'll tackle the