d prize in one day.

Captor and captive then turned and headed for Guantanamo.

The men were in high spirits. Speculation was rife as to the amount of
prize money each would secure, and some even went so far as to plan the
spending of it.

Every one felt very gay, and as if something should be done to celebrate
our good fortune. We would have liked to spend some money for an
entertainment, but that was impossible.

"Dick," however, was impressed into service to furnish some amusement.
"Dick," a forecastle man, is a born story-teller, and we knew if we
could get him started, some fun would be assured.

After some pressure he acquiesced, and began the following yarn:

"One day a certain Irishman, Mike Dooley by name, departed this life. He
was much respected, and his death caused no little sorrow to his friends
and neighbors. His wife and children were simply inconsolable. The widow
wished to have a handsome funeral in his honor and spent her savings in
furtherance of that plan. She had enough money for everything, except
the silver inscription plate. But that difficulty was easily overcome,
for 'What's the matter wid Pat Molloy painting it nately in white
paint?' she said.

"Pat, being approached on the subject, expressed his entire willingness,
and soon after called for the casket and took it away. He was told to
letter the following, in neat, white letters: 'Michael Dooley departed
this life in his prime, at the age of twenty-eight.'

"Pat was a bricklayer by trade, and painting was only a 'side line' with
him.

"He started to put the inscription on the casket, and got along bravely
till he came to 'age of twenty-eight.' Then he realized that he could
not make the figures. He puzzled over it a long while, for he did not
like to ask and thus show up his ignorance.

"Finally a bright idea struck him. Four sevens make twenty-eight--why
not put down four sevens--that was easy!

"The job was finished just in time.

"The relatives and friends were gathered round to pay their last
respects. One friend was asked to get up and make a few remarks. He did
so and began as follows:

"'I am glad to be able to say a few words on this sad occasion, a few
words of praise for our beloved friend; for other words than praise
could not be said of him. I am proud to have known him and to have been
numbered among his friends. His virtues need hardly be repeated. You
knew him well. His generosity, his friendliness, and all the