ea, high and low together."

"I'd have you hove out again if you were my man, or make you keep a
civiller tongue in your head," was Eben's savage retort. "Now, sir, will
you or will you not tell me how you saved the two babies, and what
became of the other one?"

"I will not," answered Jack, doggedly; then seeing that Mr. George was
about to reprove him, he added, in an altered tone: "As for the savin',
that's my business; but the other poor little critter must'a been put
into the boat with its poor mother. I feel sartain it was."

Eben leaned forward, and asked with some gentleness:

"How did you know it was the mother?"

"Because--well, by the way the poor soul screamed for it, when they were
letting her and the rest down into the boat; and the way she quieted
after,--that's how I know. But it's all unsartain."

"And where was the other mother?"

Jack turned an imploring glance toward Mr. Reed. _Must_ he go on
humoring the fellow?--but Mr. Reed's expressive nod compelled him to
reply:

"The other mother? I don't know where she was. One instant we men was
all obeyin' orders; the next, everything was wild. It was dark night,
women screamin', men shoutin', the ship sinkin', some hollerin' she was
afire, and every one savin' himself an' others as best he could. Perhaps
you ain't aware that folks don't gen'rally go and get out the log at
such times and set down their obserwations for future ref'rence."

"Did you see Mr. Robertson?" asked Slade, loftily. "Was he with the lady
in the boat?"

"Well, if ever I met the like of land lubbers! Was he with the lady in
the boat? Did I see him? Why, man, it warn't a pleasure-party. Out of
all that shipload, barely twenty men and wimmen ever saw the sun rise
again; and Mr. Robertson,--no, nor his wife, nor the babby, nor t'other
poor lady,--warn't amongst them, as the master here can tell you; and
none on 'em couldn't make us any the wiser about who the babbies
belonged to. An' their mothers wasn't hardly ever on deck; 'most like
they was sick in their state-rooms, for they was born ladies, both of
'em; and that's all you'll learn about it, if I stand here till
daylight. Now, Capt'n, shall I pilot the gentl'man out?"

"Yes, you may," cried Eben, rising so suddenly that Jack's eyes blinked,
though, apart from that, not a muscle stirred. "I'll have a talk with
you outside."

"Jest my idee!" said Jack, with alacrity, holding wide the door. "No
place like the open sea for a