ard that
was coming home after five years' absence in India. They too stood in
solid rank on deck, their homes almost in sight, while the women and
children were taken off and the ship slowly sank, the officers, with
swords drawn, presenting arms to Death.

"Discipline! discipline!" said the captain. "But one wouldn't have
looked for it in them heathen Chinees."

Duty! duty! we thought, and were quite sure heathenism had never
interfered with that kind of heroism.

"Now, the usual run of American sailors," said Jacob, who felt by
this time that his final verdict was needed, wouldn't have done
that. Passengers is easier managed in time of a storm than sailors,
especially them of coast-ships. Passengers is like sheep: they're so
skeert they'll do what you bids 'em; but the sailors broach the liquor
first thing. I'd rather manage so many pigs than sailors when they get
holt of the grog. There was the City of New York. When she went down
the mate stood with a club in his hand to keep the crew off the Scotch
ale which was part of the freight. Well; sir, they got it, and thar
they stayed, drinkin', till the vessel parted amidships: couldn't be
got off no-how. There was three hundred passengers landed from that
ship. We used the apparatus for her: government had taken hold of the
matter then."

"Before we say anything about the government service, one question
about the Jersey wreckers. They bear a bad name. The story goes that
the Barnegat pirates in old times drew vessels ashore by false lights,
and plundered the shipwrecked people. How about that, Jacob? Honestly,
now!"

"Well, sir, them stories is onjust. Them men as is called Barnegat
pirates are not us fishermen--never were: they're from the
main--colliers and sech--as come down to a wrack, and they will have
something to kerry home when they're kept up all night. They do their
share of stealin', I'll confess; but from Sandy Hook to Cape May
it's innocent to what is done on Long Island. It's the stevedores and
rigger-men on Long Island--reg'lar New York roughs. No man or woman
was ever robbed on this beach till they was dead. Of course I don't
mean their trunks and sech, but not the body. The Long Islanders cut
off the fingers of livin' people for rings, but the Barnegat men never
touch the body till it's dead. _No_, sir."

"And you understand," interposed the captain eagerly, "these Barnegat
robbers are a very different class from Jacob and the crews of surf
bo