‘The aforemast crew of the brig consisted of five seamen and a cook,’ said Tom. ‘They said that stuff there,’ and here he pointed to a piece of salt beef, ‘wasn’t sweet enough for such choice gums as theirs, so they stole the boat and made off--a new way of running from a ship, Mr. Cotton, eh?’--the old man-of-war’s man gravely inclined his wrinkled face--‘and left us too short-handed to enable me to go ashore with you now and visit Governor Glass. But he’ll come aboard, I hope?’ ‘Vhere vhas you from, capt’n?’ inquired Peter Green. ‘The brig’s from the Mersey.’ ‘How’s the Mersey a-looking?’ exclaimed Daly, with an expression of eagerness in his old eyes. Peter Green thrust in again.? ‘Vhere vhas you bound?’ ‘The cargo’s consigned to Cape Town.’ ‘Dis vhas a leedle out of your road.’ ‘Why, yes. But I’ve called to see Corporal Glass.’ ‘Dere vhas t’ree shipwreckt men on der island,’ said Peter Green, ‘dot ve vhas glad to get rid of, und dot vhas very thankful to ship mit you.’ ‘Call ’em two,’ said Hagan; ‘the sick man’s no use.’ ‘Dot vhas a very bad look-out for der ship und her people!’ exclaimed Peter Green, whose glass I had filled with wine. ‘Tell der story, Mr. Hagan.’ ‘Why,’ said Hagan, speaking through his nose, ‘it was like this: I had stepped out of my cottage just as day was a-breaking to take a look ’round; away out nor’-west I see something black--just a black speck. Wal, I borrows the governor’s glass and makes out a ship’s boat, with an oar stepped and something white flying from the head of it. Three of our people, Miller, Riley, and Swain, agree with me to go and have a look at the boat. So we launches, and what do we find? A boat with four men in her; one man dead, another seemingly dying, t’other two too weak to sit up. We got ’em ashore, buried the body, and brought the others to. Him that seemed dying is a bit better, but he looks queer, and, to my mind, ain’t a-going to last. He hurt himself somewheres insides when the scramble happened in the fire. The other two are all right, and all three want to get away.’ ‘Survivors of a fire. I take it?’ said, Tom. ‘Yaw,’ answered Green. ‘Smart little barque,’ said Hagan; ‘burned to the water’s edge. The people got away in two boats. Them that’s ashore is the skipper and mate and an able seaman.’ ‘Who’s the sick man?’ said Mr. Bates. ‘Der mate,’ answered Peter Green. ‘How long have they been with you?’ I asked. ‘T’ree weeks, marm. Captain,’ exclaimed the Dutchman, turning to Tom, ‘did you know the leedle ship? She vhas called--she vhas called--ach, my memory!’ ‘The _Arab Chief_,’ said Hagan. ‘The _Arab Chief_!’ exclaimed Tom, speaking slowly. ‘Did you know her, sir?’ asked Peter Green. ‘A fine clipper barque of six hundred and thirty tons,’ said Tom, speaking deliberately, with so sudden a change of voice that the islanders looked hard at him. ‘That’s the vessel,’ exclaimed Hagan. ‘You have her master and his mate on the island?’ ‘Aye,’ replied Green.