ssage home, for which we will pay."

"Well, if ivir I heerd of de like of dat! Come aboord, my men. De
captain's sick, but dere's plinty to ate here, and ye won't mind close
quarters, after your vige on de ice."

"No, indeed, sir!" said La Salle. "Tumble up, my men. Take your guns and
your coats with you. Here, Nep; up that ladder, sir. That's right. Can
you take our boat aboard?"

"Come right up, sur; dere's no fear of her. I'll have her aboord in tin
minutes. Here comes de mate. What's your name, sur? La Salle? Yis, sur!
Mister Blake, sur; Mister La Salle, sur."

"Happy to see you, Mr. La Salle. I've learnt enough about you to know
that you have been adrift nearly two weeks, and as dinner's ready we
must have you into the cabin. I am sorry that but one berth is vacant,
and your friends will have to take their chance in the forecastle."

"If you please, I had rather have you extend your courtesy to Mr. George
Waring, a son of Mr. Albert Waring, of C., who does a large business
with your St. John's fishing firms. He has been the only one of us who
has been sick, and--"

"There, Mr. Blake," interposed Waring, "don't listen to him; take him
with you. Why, I am as strong as an ox now, and you'll find him far
better company than I am."

Passing aft through gangways crowded with brawny, hardy-looking sealers,
La Salle followed his conductor to the cabin, where he found six or
eight men gathered around a table plentifully supplied with the usual
provisions found on board ships in the merchant service. After being
introduced to all present, who greeted him with a rude civility, Mr.
Blake invited him to "fall to and help himself."

It is needless to say that he required no pressing in this direction.
"Hard tack" and "salt horse," with potatoes, soft bread, and chicory
coffee sweetened with molasses, seemed food fit for the gods, after the
greasy meat-diet of the last eleven days; and his companions
considerately refrained from questioning him until his hunger was
satisfied. At last he drew back his chair, lit a cigar offered him by
one of the officers, and turning to the mate said, laughingly,--

"Fire away, gentlemen--I'm ready."

After narrating the principal events of their voyage so far as he deemed
prudent, he concluded as follows:--

"Two or three days ago we fell in with large sealing-floes, and among
them one where a sealer had killed several hundred seals. A boat-hook,
which you will find in our boat, bore