36 THECRATER; means of the bridge, but not from a point very near the Jatter. " In the name of heavenly marcy !" exclaimed Betts, "what can that mean, governor?" " I know that voice," said Mark, hurriedly : " and the whole matter begins to clear up to me. Who hails the Rancocus?" "Is that ship the Rancocus, then?" answered the voice from the island. " The Rancocus, and no other are you not Bill Brown, her late carpenter?" "The very same, God bless you, Mr. Woolston, for I now know your voice, too. I m Bill, and right down glad am I to have things turn out so. I half suspected the truth when I saw a ship s spars this arternoon in this place, though little did I think, yesterday, of ever seeing anything more of the old Cocus. Can you give me a cast across this bit of a ferry, sir?" "Are you alone, Bill or who have you for companions ?" "There s two on us, sir, only Jim Wattles and I seven on us was saved in the launch; Mr. Hillson and the supercargo both dying afore we reached the land, as did the other man, we seven still living, though only two on us is here." "Are there any black fellows with you? Any of the natives?" " Not one, sir. We gave em the slip two hours ago, or as soon as we saw the ship s masts, being bent on getting afloat in some craft or other, in preference to stopping with savages any longer. No, Mr. Woolston ; no fear of them to-night, for they are miles and miles to leeward, bothered in the channels, where they ll be pretty sartain to pass the night; though you ll hear from em in the morning. Jim and I took to our land tacks, meeting with a good oppor tunity, and by running directly in the wind s eye, have come out here. We hid ourselves till the canoes was out of sight, and then we carried sail as hard as we could. So give us a cast and take us aboard the old ship again, Mr. Woolston, if you love a fellow-creatur , and an old ship mate in distress." Such was the singular dialogue which succeeded the
