words."

"And what's words," retorted the cook, in supreme contempt, "but the
expression o' sintiment, widout which there wouldn't have bin nuthin'
wotsomediver in the univarse? Sintiment is the mother of all things, as
owld Father O'Dowd used to say to my grandmother whin he wanted to come
the blarney over her. It was a philosopher sintimentilisin' over a
tay-kittle, I'm towld, as caused the diskivery o' the steam-ingine; it
was a sintimintal love o' country as indooced Saint Patrick to banish
the varmin from Ireland, an' it was religious sintiment as made Noah for
to build the Ark, but for which nother you nor me would have bin born to
git cast upon a coral island. Sintiment is iverything, Muggins, and of
that same there isn't more in your whole body than I cud shove into the
small end of a baccy-pipe. But to return to the pint: I've bin thinkin'
as to whether it would be best to set a light to this here little pile
in the daylight or in the dark, bekase, in the wan case it's the smoke
that would call attintion, an' in the other case it's the flame."

"That is true, Larry," said the captain; "I'm inclined to think it would
be better seen at night, fire being more powerful than smoke."

"But they're more likely to be asleep at night, and to miss seein' it,"
observed Cupples, in a hollow tone.

It may be remarked in passing, that the mate's voice had become much
more sepulchral and his aspect more cadaverous since his arrival on the
island.

"True for ye," chimed in Larry; "an' who knows, if they did see it, but
they might take it for the moon in a fog--or for a volkainy?"

"Wouldn't the best way to settle the matter be to kindle the fire just
now, before it grows dark," suggested Will Osten, "so that they will
have a chance of seeing the smoke, and then, when it grows dark, the
fire will be getting brighter?"

"Right, doctor, you're right. Come, we'll put the light to it at once,"
cried the captain, rising. "Hand me the match-box, Mr Cupples; it's in
the head o' the bread cask."

The whole party rose and went to the pile of timber, which was on the
highest part of the islet and towered to a height of nearly twelve feet.
Captain Dall applied a match to the tarry pieces of the long-boat,
which had been placed at the foundation, and the flames at once leaped
up and began to lick greedily round the timber, winding through the
interstices and withering up the leaves. Soon a thick smoke began to
ascend, for m