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 36 THECRATER; means of the bridge, but not from a point very near the Jatter. &quot; In the name of heavenly marcy !&quot; exclaimed Betts, &quot;what can that mean, governor?&quot; &quot; I know that voice,&quot; said Mark, hurriedly : &quot; and the whole matter begins to clear up to me. Who hails the Rancocus?&quot; &quot;Is that ship the Rancocus, then?&quot; answered the voice from the island. &quot; The Rancocus, and no other are you not Bill Brown, her late carpenter?&quot; &quot;The very same, God bless you, Mr. Woolston, for I now know your voice, too. I m Bill, and right down glad am I to have things turn out so. I half suspected the truth when I saw a ship s spars this arternoon in this place, though little did I think, yesterday, of ever seeing anything more of the old Cocus. Can you give me a cast across this bit of a ferry, sir?&quot; &quot;Are you alone, Bill or who have you for companions ?&quot; &quot;There s two on us, sir, only Jim Wattles and I seven on us was saved in the launch; Mr. Hillson and the supercargo both dying afore we reached the land, as did the other man, we seven still living, though only two on us is here.&quot; &quot;Are there any black fellows with you? Any of the natives?&quot; &quot; Not one, sir. We gave em the slip two hours ago, or as soon as we saw the ship s masts, being bent on getting afloat in some craft or other, in preference to stopping with savages any longer. No, Mr. Woolston ; no fear of them to-night, for they are miles and miles to leeward, bothered in the channels, where they ll be pretty sartain to pass the night; though you ll hear from em in the morning. Jim and I took to our land tacks, meeting with a good oppor tunity, and by running directly in the wind s eye, have come out here. We hid ourselves till the canoes was out of sight, and then we carried sail as hard as we could. So give us a cast and take us aboard the old ship again, Mr. Woolston, if you love a fellow-creatur, and an old ship mate in distress.&quot; Such was the singular dialogue which succeeded the