s over
six feet in height, rather stout, and with a chest like a working
bullock. His face and neck were deeply bronzed to a dark tan, and
presented a striking and startling yet pleasing contrast to his
snowy-white hair, moustache, and eyebrows; his clear, steely blue eyes
were in consonance with the broad, square jaw, and the man's character
revealed itself in his features--strong, courageous, dominant, and
self-reliant.

The moment Captain Guest mentioned that our men were thirsty and would
like a drink of water, Yorke became the soul of hospitality, and told
them to come on board and help themselves, while for Guest and myself he
produced a couple of bottles of excellent Tennant, and took a glass of
it himself.

"Now, do you know, gentlemen," he said as he sat down on the cutter's
rail, facing us, "this morning I had a dream? I thought I heard some one
call out, 'All ready there, for'ard?' and I heard the rattle of a cable
through the hawse-pipes. Then I woke and looked at the clock--it was
just half-past seven."

"And at half-past seven we let go anchor, a good four miles from here.
Surely you could not have heard us at such a distance."

"No, that's a fact. So, when I did hear you hail just now I knew my
dream was verified. As a rule, dreams aren't worth a bag of shakings."

"Where are your crew, captain?" I asked.

"Ah, now I've a yarn to tell you. I'm the only man on board--my mate and
every man of my crew were massacred about six weeks ago off the north
end of New Ireland, and I only escaped by the skin of my teeth. And now
you can guess the meaning of all this glass on the deck. There's plenty
of niggers all around us here, and that broken glass is a splendid
protection for me at night time. Since I lost my men they have made two
attempts to cut me off at night time, once at a place just the other
side of Cape St. George and once near here. But," and he laughed softly,
"they didn't stay on deck more than five seconds, I can assure you. I'll
tell you the whole yarn presently. But say, captain--can you help me
to a new rudder? I lost mine a week ago, and having a bad hand have not
been able to do anything towards making one myself."

"Certainly I will. I'll send my carpenter to you as soon as we get back
to the ship; or, better still, we'll tow you down to the Fray Bentos.
But we are in want of water and firewood, and I should like to take some
of both back with me."

He thanked Guest warmly, and added