"The brig was a large, rakish craft, with a black hull, and as I looked at her I had some doubts about her character. It struck me, indeed, that she was the same wicked-looking vessel I had seen come into English Harbour the day we sailed in the drogher. However, we couldn't be worse off aboard her than we were, and I couldn't suppose that any human beings would leave us to perish. Before long she let fly her topgallant-sails and royals, clewed up her topsails and courses, and a boat was lowered, which pulled towards us. "`We must not leave our change of clothes behind us,' says Mr Gordon. `My carpet-bag is in the starboard berth.' "`I'll get the bags for you, young gentlemen,' says I, for I did not like to trust any of them below again, for fear of accidents. I jumped down as I said this, and by the time, after groping about for them, I had got hold of the three bags, the boat was alongside. "`Jump in, my lads,' sung out the mate in charge of her; `we have no time to stop.' "The young gentlemen and Master Spider had scrambled down into her. `We are not going without Needham, though,' they all sang out together, just as I got my head up the companion hatch. "`What, is there another of you?' said the mate. `Be smart, my man, or I must leave you behind.' "`Thank you, sir, but I would rather go,' says I, as I made a leap into the boat, with the carpet-bags, just as the bow-man was shoving off. While we were pulling for the brig the mate asked how we came to be there. Mr Rogers told him in a few words. "`I heard say in English Harbour that you were supposed to be lost,' he observed. "I was then sure that the brig was the craft I had seen there. We were soon alongside. Who should we see as we stepped on deck but the old colonel and his daughter, and the little black girl Polly, who came with us from Trinidad. They seemed mightily pleased at finding that we were not drowned; especially the young lady, who told the midshipmen how anxious every one on board the frigate had been about them. Mr Rogers had to go over the whole story again. "`It's pleasant to find that we are of some account in the world,' says Mr Desmond, in his offhand Irish way; `but if you please, Miss O'Regan, we are as hungry as hounds, and as thirsty as hippopotami, and I'm sure you'll say a good word to get us something to eat and drink.' "`Bless my heart,' exclaimed the colonel, `I forgot, my boys, that you had been hanging on to the drogher's bottom for the last three days, on short allowance.' "`Yes, sir,' says I, thinking it was as well to speak on my own account, for he didn't seem to understand that I had been with them; `the young gentlemen and I had nothing to stow away in our insides all that time but hard tack and rotten fruit.' "`You shall have supper, then, this moment, my lads,' says the colonel, and having shouted to the steward to put some food on the table, he invited the midshipmen to go below.