ation, "Golly, massa, I tell you for true!"

Mr Rawlings considered that the boy had been awakened by the crash of
the water pooping the ship and the bleeding bursting out again from his
wound, both of which recalled some fleeting thoughts, probably, of the
shipwreck in which he had temporarily lost his reason. But the men
would not hear of this at all, ascribing Seth's rescue to some
supernatural foresight on the part of poor "Sailor Bill," as the boy was
unanimously dubbed, and looked on thenceforth with the same respectful,
pitying care with which the Indians regard any imbecile person, by
everybody on board, from the cook Josh--another negro like Jasper, of
whom he was intensely jealous, calling him, on the principle of "the pot
and the kettle," a "nigerant puss-proud black fellow"--up to the
captain, who, to tell the truth, shared some of the superstitious regard
of the men for their protege!

For the poor boy had, without doubt, lost his senses. He neither spoke,
nor laughed, nor cried, nor was any perceptible emotion of pleasure or
pain displayed by him under any circumstances.

He did not once arouse from the lethargy that seemed to press down upon
his brain again after he had so fortunately and so wonderfully come to
the assistance of Seth Allport.

One thing, however, was noticeable in him afterwards, and that was, that
from that moment he appeared to attach himself to the seaman, just as a
dog attaches himself to some master whom he elects for himself, and was
never easy out of Seth's sight, following him everywhere about the ship,
except at night, when he slept in the cabin.

Seth Allport, talking it over with the skipper and Mr Rawlings, gave a
scientific explanation from his medical lore. He said that Sailor
Bill's mental affliction was due to some psychological effect, which
would wear away in time, and probably completely disappear if the boy
had to undergo a shock precisely similar to that which had caused it.
But, as neither he nor any one else knew what that shock was, of course
they could not expedite Sailor Bill's cure, nor do anything, save make
him the dumb pet of the ship.

In the meantime the damages of the _Susan Jane_ were made good, and in a
day or two there were few signs of the mishap which had befallen her.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER FOUR.

DERELICT.

The weather was now fair, and the wind favourable, and they were in high
spirits, for they hoped soon to recover the time lost by