"Ahoy!" said the waterman, who was getting tired of the business,
addressing a grimy-looking seaman hanging meditatively over the side of
a schooner. "Where's the Mary Ann?"
"Went away at half-past one this morning," was the reply.
"'Cos here's the cap'n an' the mate," said the waterman, indicating the
forlorn couple with a bob of his head.
"My eyes!" said the man, "I s'pose the cook's in charge then. We was to
have gone too, but our old man hasn't turned up."
Quickly the news spread amongst the craft in the tier, and many and
various were the suggestions shouted to the bewildered couple from the
different decks. At last, just as the captain had ordered the waterman
to return to the shore, he was startled by a loud cry from the mate.
"Look there!" he shouted.
The captain looked. Fifty or sixty yards away, a small shamefaced-
looking schooner, so it appeared to his excited imagination, was slowly
approaching them. A minute later a shout went up from the other craft as
she took in sail and bore slowly down upon them. Then a small boat put
off to the buoy, and the Mary Ann was slowly warped into the place she
had left ten hours before.
But while all this was going on, she was boarded by her captain and
mate. They were met by Captain Bing, supported by his mate, who had
hastily pushed off from the Smiling Jane to the assistance of his chief.
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