The slop-chest was in a store-room off the cabin, and was in charge of Mr. Stevens. He was sent for to open the chest and spread out the contents upon the cabin table. When this was done both Captain Dawson and Mr. Stevens left the cabin in order to give the strangers an opportunity to select what they liked without being embarrassed by their presence. Captain Woods of the Evelyn was temporarily consigned to the forecastle, where he arrayed himself in dry clothing which Mr. Johnson furnished him. As soon as possible a good meal of scouse, bread, and coffee was supplied to the rescued people, to which Captain Dawson added some sherry and brandy for those in the cabin, and some West India rum for the others. It is needless to say that the party sat down to their meal with excellent appetites, and ate their food with a good relish. Our captain apologized for the meagerness of the fare, but was told in reply, that the banquet was fit for a king, and no apologies were necessary. CHAPTER XI. HOW THE EVELYN WAS LOST.--I AM TRANSFERRED FROM FORECASTLE TO CABIN.--OUR PASSENGERS.--ARRIVAL AT BOSTON. Little was seen of the British officer and his family during that day, and that little was when Captain Dawson or either of our mates had occasion to visit the cabin. The feminine contingent located there kept to their room nearly all the time, while Captain Graham went to bed and slept soundly after his exhausting experience. The captain of the Evelyn also retired to sleep, and so did the second mate and sailors, who were assigned to quarters in the forecastle. Of course everybody on the Washington did his best to relieve the sufferings of the castaways and make them comfortable. The three sailors were rigged out in spare garments contributed by the Washington's crew; but a day or two later Captain Dawson supplied them with garments from the slop-chest, and enabled them to return the borrowed clothing. We didn't learn very much about their mishap until the next day, when they had sufficiently recovered their strength to be able to talk. Each of them told the story of their misfortune in a way differing somewhat from that of his shipmates, but substantially, and in all essential particulars, the account was the same. Here it is:-- As before stated, the Evelyn was on a voyage from London to Bermuda. They had a favoring wind down the channel, and were well out beyond Land's End and the Scilly Isles, when they encountered for two or three days some strong head winds. Then the weather became fine again, and the ship continued on her course towards her destination for a week or more. After this they had another series of gales, more severe than the first. The ship labored heavily in the water; she was a dull sailer, and one of the crew said she was the "bloomin'est old tub" that he was ever in.