Then at last he sort o' makes up his mind, and
ses he--
"'Mr. McMillan, I've just had a most remarkable experience, an' I don't
know what to do about it.'
"'Yes, sir?' ses Mr. McMillan.
"'Three times I Ve been woke up this night by something shouting in my
ear, "Steer nor'-nor'-west!"' ses the cap'n very solemnly, '"Steer
nor'-nor'-west!" that's all it says. The first time I thought it was
somebody got into my cabin skylarking, and I laid for 'em with a stick
but I've heard it three times, an' there's nothing there.'
"'It's a supernatural warning,' ses the second mate, who had a great
uncle once who had the second sight, and was the most unpopular man of
his family, because he always knew what to expect, and laid his plans
according.
"'That's what I think,' ses the cap'n. 'There's some poor shipwrecked
fellow creatures in distress."
"'It's a verra grave responsebeelity,' ses Mr. McMillan 'I should just
ca' up the fairst mate.'
"'Bill,' ses the cap'n, 'just go down below, and tell Mr. Salmon I 'd
like a few words with him partikler.'
"Well, I went down below, and called up the first mate, and as soon as
I'd explained to him what he was wanted for, he went right off into a
fit of outrageous bad language, an' hit me. He came right up on deck in
his pants an' socks.
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