little girl down to me," spoke Andy. "Then you jump. We'll
save you all right."

The little girl reached the deck in safety, and the woman, who proved to
be her mother, followed.

"Now take us to your ship," said the woman.

"You must be a long way from her, as she is not in sight."

"Our ship is right here," spoke Mr. Henderson with a smile.

"Where, I don't see her," and the woman looked in all directions.

"Allow me to introduce you to Profess Amos Henderson's famous submarine,
the _Porpoise_," spoke the inventor with a bow. "But come, let us go
below. You must be suffering, and here I am making speeches."

"Indeed I am hungry, and thirsty too," said the woman. "So is Nellie.
But I thought this was merely a small boat, sent from some large ship to
get us."

The woman and girl descended to the cabin of the submarine, where
Washington set before them a fine meal. Under the advice of the
professor they partook sparingly of food and drink at first, as, having
eaten nothing in many hours, the inventor said they must begin by taking
a little at a time.

As soon as they had finished and become somewhat rested, the woman told
her story. She was Mrs. Johnson, a widow, her husband having once owned
and been captain of the schooner that was wrecked. After his death she
and her daughter, having become part owners of the craft, disposing of
a third interest to the former mate of the ship, had set out on one of
the voyages to South American ports.

They had had good weather going, and took on a valuable cargo of lumber
and rare woods. But the return trip was more perilous. Heavy storms had
buffeted the craft almost from the time of leaving port, and in one
heavy blow, ten days before, the ship had been wrecked.

"What became of the crew?" asked Mr. Henderson.

"They took to the boats," replied Mrs. Johnson. "My little girl and
myself were to go with the mate and his men. The waves were fearfully
high, and, as they held the boat close to the schooner so we could get
in, a big roller smashed the little craft. The men must have all been
drowned for I never afterwards caught sight of one of them."

"But the other boats?" asked the inventor.

"They had gotten too far away to hail, supposing that I would be taken
care of by the mate. There was nothing for Nellie and I to do but stay
on board, expecting the ship to sink every minute."

"And you have been there ever since?" inquired Andy.

"Ever since. That was ten days