n to thaw her. Split me, mister, if she ain't worth sailing home as a
show-box."

I interrupted his ejaculations by asking him to step below, where we
could sit warm whilst I related my story, and I asked him to invite his
boat's crew into the cabin that I might regale them with a bowl of such
liquor as I ventured to say had never passed their lips in this life. On
this he went to the side, and, hailing the men, ordered all but one to
step aboard and drink to the health of the lonesome sailor they had come
across. The word "drink" acted like a charm; they instantly hauled upon
the painter and brought the boat to the chains and tumbled over the
side, one of the negroes remaining in her. They fell together in a body,
and surveyed me and the ship with a hundred marks of astonishment.

"My lads," said I, "my rig is a strange one, but I'll explain all
shortly. The clothes I was cast away in are below, and I'll show you
them. I'm no spectre, but as real as you; though I have gone through so
much that, if I am not a ghost, it is no fault of old ocean, but owing
to the mercy of God. My name is Paul Rodney, and I'm a native of London.
You, sir," says I, addressing the long man, "are, I presume, the master
of the _Susan Tucker_?"

"At your sarvice--Josiah Tucker is my name, and that ship is my wife
Susan."

"Captain Tucker, and you, men, will you please step below," says I. "The
weather promises fair; I have much to tell, and there is that in the
cabin which will give you patience to hear me."

I descended the companion-stairs, and they all followed, making the
interior that had been so long silent ring with their heavy tread,
whilst from time to time a gruff, hoarse whisper broke from one of them.
But superstition lay strong upon their imagination, and they were awed
and quiet. The daylight came down the hatch, but for all that the cabin
was darksome.

I waited till the last man had entered, and then said, "Before we settle
down to a bowl and a yarn, captain, I should like to show you this ship.
It'll save me a deal of description and explanation if you will be
pleased to take a view."

"Lead on, mister," said he; "but we shall have to snap our eyelids and
raise fire in that way, for durned if I, for one, can see in the dark."

I fetched three or four lanthorns, and, lighting the candles,
distributed them among the men, and then, in a procession, headed by the
captain and me, we made the rounds. I had half-cleared the a