till the boat reached the
schooner. The women were assisted to the deck, where they stood staring
with blank amazement at the vessel and her crew. The skipper was
bewildered by the misfortune that overshadowed him.

"I am glad to see you, sir," said Paul, as the disconsolate captain came
up the accommodation ladder.

"No use, Captain Kendall," said Pelham, smiling. "They can't speak a
word of English."

"Do you know anything about the vessel?" asked Paul.

"I read her name on the stern, as we came back, and wrote it down; for a
Yankee would choke to death in uttering it," replied Pelham, as he
produced a piece of wet paper. "It is the 'Wel tevreeden, Dordrecht.'"

"That's Dutch. She hails from Dort," added Paul.

"Where are the professors?" asked Terrill. "Can they speak Dutch?"

The professors, who had seen enough of rough weather for one day, had
been making themselves as comfortable as possible in the cabin. The
Dutchman and his family were conducted below by the first lieutenant.

"What have you here?" demanded Mr. Stoute, who had just come from his
berth, in which he had bolstered himself up, in order, as he expressed
it, to know exactly where he was.

"We have just saved them from the wreck of a Dutch galiot. They can't
speak a word of English, and we wish you to talk to them."

"In Dutch?" laughed Mr. Stoute. "I cannot do it."

"What is the matter, Mr. Terrill?" inquired Professor Hamblin, who had
also taken to his berth to save his limbs from being broken.

"A vessel has been wrecked, and we have saved two men and two women. Can
you talk Dutch?" asked the first lieutenant, going to the door of the
professor's state-room.

Mr. Hamblin proved to be no wiser than his associate, so far as the
Dutch language was concerned; and it was found to be impossible to hold
any communication with the wrecked persons except by signs. They were
committed to the care of the steward, by whom everything was done to
render them comfortable. The captain's state-room was given to the
women, and they were supplied with hot coffee and other refreshments.

"What is the condition of the wreck, Mr. Pelham?" asked Captain Kendall,
as soon as the unfortunate persons had been provided for.

"She is half full of water," replied the second master. "The crew of the
gig were pumping her out when we left."

"Do you know anything about her cargo?"

"No, sir. Her hatches were battened down, and we could not see what was
in the ho