to bunks, linen,
drying of clothes, etc., regretting over and over again that he was a
single man, and consequently had no wife from whom he could borrow
wearing apparel while that of his guests was drying.

The third mate, also, took pains to be very civil to them, and his soft
voice could be heard in conversation with Miss Sackett long after they
had gone below.

I went forward and interviewed the men we had rescued, afterward getting
the "doctor" to serve them something hot, as their galley fire had been
out many hours and they had been eating nothing but ship's bread.

The _Pirate_ waited all the afternoon with her canvas shortened down to
her lower topsails to keep her from forging ahead too fast. But even when
it grew dark and the British ship could no longer be clearly made out,
her skipper had not gotten out his boats. It was evident that he would
try to save her if possible, and now that his family were safe he cared
little for the risk. Captain Thompson still held the _Pirate_ hove to
under easy canvas, drifting slowly with the wind, which was now no more
than a moderate breeze. The sea, also, was going down fast, and the sky
was showing well between the long lines of greasy-looking clouds which
appeared to sail slowly away to the northeast. The night fell with every
prospect of good weather coming on the following day.

I went on deck in the dog-watch and took a look around. The _Sovereign_
was a mere blur on the horizon, but her lights shone clearly.

"We'll stand by her all night," said Trunnell, "and then if the
skipper doesn't care to leave her,--which he will, however,--we'll
stand away again."

There was little to do, so the watch lounged around the deck and rested
from the exertion of the past twenty-four hours. Chips told me I had
better come forward after supper and take a smoke in his room, for they
were going to come to some conclusion about the fellow Andrews. There had
been some talk of putting him aboard the English ship, and if we could
get the captain to agree to it, it would be done.

I loafed around until I saw a light between the crack of his door and the
bulkhead. Then I slid it back, and entered.

The stuffy little box was full of men. The bos'n, a large man named
Spurgen, who had quite a swagger for a merchant sailor, was holding forth
to the quartermaster, Hans, on nautical operations.

"An' how'd ye do if ye had an anchor atween, decks widout nothin' to
hoist it out wid?" he