"I am a sailor from the ship _Argonaut_, bound from New York to
Calcutta, and this young gentleman is Robert Rushton, passenger aboard
the same ship."
"Where is your ship?"
"I don't know, captain."
"How came you here?"
"We were left here. The vessel went without us."
"How long have you been here?"
"Six weeks."
"There is something about this which I do not understand. Are you here
of your own accord?"
"We are anxious to get away, captain," said Robert. "Will you take us?"
"To be sure I will. There's room enough on my ship for both of you. But
I can't understand how you were left here."
"It's a long yarn, captain," said Bates. "If you haven't time to hear it
now, I will tell you aboard ship."
"You look like a good seaman," said the captain, addressing Bates. "I'm
short-handed just now. If you will engage with me, I will enroll you
among my crew."
"That I'll do," said Bates, with satisfaction. "I wasn't made for a
passenger."
"My ship is the _Superior_, bound from Boston to Calcutta; so your
destination will be the same. My name is Smith. Do you know the name of
this island?"
"I never heard of it before."
"I have taken possession of it in the name of the United States,
supposing myself the first discoverer."
"That's all right. To my mind, the Star-Spangled Banner is the best that
can wave over it.
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