u, sir, but I would rather go,' says I, as I made a leap into
the boat, with the carpet-bags, just as the bow-man was shoving off.
While we were pulling for the brig the mate asked how we came to be
there. Mr Rogers told him in a few words.

"`I heard say in English Harbour that you were supposed to be lost,' he
observed.

"I was then sure that the brig was the craft I had seen there. We were
soon alongside. Who should we see as we stepped on deck but the old
colonel and his daughter, and the little black girl Polly, who came with
us from Trinidad. They seemed mightily pleased at finding that we were
not drowned; especially the young lady, who told the midshipmen how
anxious every one on board the frigate had been about them. Mr Rogers
had to go over the whole story again.

"`It's pleasant to find that we are of some account in the world,' says
Mr Desmond, in his offhand Irish way; `but if you please, Miss O'Regan,
we are as hungry as hounds, and as thirsty as hippopotami, and I'm sure
you'll say a good word to get us something to eat and drink.'

"`Bless my heart,' exclaimed the colonel, `I forgot, my boys, that you
had been hanging on to the drogher's bottom for the last three days, on
short allowance.'

"`Yes, sir,' says I, thinking it was as well to speak on my own account,
for he didn't seem to understand that I had been with them; `the young
gentlemen and I had nothing to stow away in our insides all that time
but hard tack and rotten fruit.'

"`You shall have supper, then, this moment, my lads,' says the colonel,
and having shouted to the steward to put some food on the table, he
invited the midshipmen to go below.

"`And I hope this poor man, who has suffered as much as they have, may
come too,' says the young lady, and I blessed her sweet face as she
spoke.

"`Of course,' says the colonel, `he might fare but badly forward.'

"The skipper, a dark-looking chap, who had been walking the deck all the
time, scarcely stopping to welcome us aboard, looked daggers at me, but
I didn't mind him.

"`Come along, Needham, you saved our lives, and should be the first
attended to,' says Mr Rogers kindly to me; I, of course, know my place,
and that it isn't for the likes of me to sit down to table with my
betters; but just then, if the Queen herself had asked me to take a
snack with her, I'd have said, `Yes, marm, please your ladyship, with
the greatest pleasure in the world.'

"The steward soon had all sort