"
"I've just come from there," said I; "it was I who
bought the wreck."
"Beg your pardon, sir," cried the sailor: "gen'lem'n in
the white schooner?"
"The same," said I.
My friend saluted, as though we were now for the first
time formally introduced.
"Of course," I continued, "I am rather taken up with
the whole story; and I wish you would tell me what you
can of how the men were saved."
"It was like this," said he. "We had orders to call at
Midway after castaways, and had our distance pretty
nigh run down the day before. We steamed half-speed
all night, looking to make it about noon, for old
Tootles--beg your pardon, sir, the captain--was
precious scared of the place at night. Well, there's
nasty filthy currents round that Midway; YOU know,
as has been there; and one on 'em must have set us
down. Leastways, about six bells, when we had ought to
been miles away, some one sees a sail, and lo and
be'old, there was the spars of a full-rigged brig! We
raised her pretty fast, and the island after her; and
made out she was hard aground, canted on her bilge, and
had her ens'n flying, union down.
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