Chapter 26 - Page 2

that's been wrecked nine times already?
and sure, poor fools are they that ever have put their trust in
rafts or boats sure and they found a wathery grave. Nay, nay;
while the ould ship lasts, let's stick to her, says I."

Having thus unburdened his mind he relapsed, into silence, and
soon went away.

About three o'clock I noticed that Mr. Kear and Silas Huntly were
holding an animated conversation in the fore top. The petroleum
merchant had evidently some difficulty in bringing the ex-captain
round to his opinion, for I, saw him several times shake his head
as he gave long and scrutinizing looks at the sea and sky. In
less than an hour afterwards I saw Huntly let himself down by the
forestays and clamber along to the forecastle where he joined the
group of sailors, and I lost sight of him.

I attached little importance to the incident, and shortly
afterwards joined the party in the main-top, where we continued
talking for some hours. The heat was intense, and if it had not
been for the shelter' afforded by the sail-tent, would have been
unbearable. At five o'clock we took as refreshment some dried
meat and biscuit, each individual being also allowed half a glass
of water. Mrs. Kear, prostrate with fever, could not touch a
mouthful; and nothing could be done by Miss Herbey to relieve
her, beyond occasionally moistening her parched lips. The
unfortunate lady suffers greatly, and sometimes I am inclined to
think that she will succumb to the exposure and privation. Not
once had her husband troubled himself about her; but when shortly
afterwards I heard him hail some of the sailors on the forecastle
and ask them to help him down from the foretop, I began to think
that the selfish fellow was coming to join his wife.

At first the sailors took no notice of his request, but on his
repeating it with the promise of paying them handsomely for their
services, two of them, Burke and Sandon, swung themselves along
the netting into the shrouds, and were soon at his side.

A long discussion ensued. The men evidently were asking more
than Mr. Kear was inclined to give, and at one time if seemed as
though the negotiation would fall through altogether. But at
length the bargain was struck, and I saw Mr. Kear take a bundle
of paper dollars from his waistcoat pocket, and hand a number of
them over to one of the men, The man counted them carefully, and
from the time it took him, I should think that he could not have
pocketed anything less than a hundred dollars.

The next business was to get Mr. Kear down from the foretop, and
Burke and Sandon proceeded to tie a rope round his waist, which
they afterwards fastened to the forestay; then, in a way which
provoked shouts of laughter from