Page:Silver Shoal Light.djvu/247

Rh loved her work, ma'am, an' she done it well. Durn them small fry, pesterin' my bait!" said the Captain huskily, peering over the side of the boat. He went on presently:

"Wal, I sailed her four years, an' we got on together wonderful well. Then one time we was caught off the Maine sea-coast in a tur'ble heavy fog, an' we anchored. An' as the fog begun to lift a mite at sun-up, we see another schooner bearin' ha'd inshore. I took the glass an' made her out the ol' Singapore, thet was owned by the same comp'ny as the Bella. She was an ol'-time tops'l schooner—lan' knows how many cruises she'd made—but thar was life in her yet, an' she had them fine ol' lines thet's gettin' scurse now. Wal, sir, it soon become plain to me thet her skipper knew whar he was an' wharto he was headin' jest as much as I did. He was deliberaly standin' in fer the rocks as slick as he could, an' I could see the boats all slung ready to be lowered away. The wind was a-comin' now, an' the fog goin' inland, an' I guv the Bella all she'd take. 'Pears the Singapore hadn't saw us comin' round the p'int, an' when she seen us now she kind o' made as if she was thinkin' 'bout tackin' off again. But me an' one o' the crew we pulled