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 The Cormorants of Udrost. 51 him not to forget those whom his neighbqur had left behind him, when he was lost at sea, and then he prophesied Isaac good luck with his smack. " Everything on board is sound and good, and you may be sure that all aloft will stand," said he, meaning that there would always be one on board whom nobody could see, who at a pinch would put his back to the mast and steady it. Isaac was always very successful afterthat time. He knew well where his good luck came from, and he never forgot to provide well for the man who kept: watch on board when the smack was laid up for the winter, and every Christmas Eve there was such a glare of light from the smack that it could be seen afar off, and then you could hear the sound of fiddles and music, and laughter, and merriment, while there was dancing going on in the cabin of the smack. E2