Thecompanystaredandmurmuredinmereamazement；butMacsteppedgallantlytohissupport。
“We’vehadenoughofit，Idobelieve。”saidhe。“Butofcourseitwasallfun，andhere’smycountersback。Allcountersin，boys！”andhebegantopourhiswinningsintothechest，whichstoodfortunatelynearhim。
Carthewsteppedacrossandwrunghimbythehand。“I’llneverforgetthis。”hesaid。
“AndwhatareyegoingtodowiththeHighwayboyandtheplumber？”inquiredMac，inalowtoneofvoice。“They’vebothwan，yesee。”
“That’strue！”saidCarthewaloud。“AmaluandHemstead，countyourwinnings；TommyandIpaythat。”
Itwascarriedwithoutspeech：thepairgladenoughtoreceivetheirwinnings，itmatterednotfromwhence；andTommy，whohadlostaboutfivehundredpounds，delightedwiththecompromise。
“AndhowaboutMac？”askedHemstead。“Ishetoloseall？”
“Ibegyourpardon，plumber。I’msureyemeanwell。”returnedtheIrishman，“butyou’dbettershutyourface，forI’mnotthatkindofaman。IfIt’oughtIhadwanthatmoneyfair，there’sneverasoulherecouldgetitfromme。ButIt’oughtitwasinfun；thatwasmymistake，yesee；andthere’snomanbigenoughuponthisislandtogiveapresenttomymother’sson。
Sothere’smyopiniontoye，plumber，andyoucanputitinyourpockuttillrequired。”
“Well，Iwillsay，Mac，you’reagentleman。”saidCarthew，ashehelpedhimtoshovelbackhiswinningsintothetreasurechest。
“Divilafearofit，sir！adrunkensailor-man。”saidMac。
Thecaptainhadsatsomewhilewithhisfaceinhishands：nowherosemechanically，shakingandstumblinglikeadrunkardafteradebauch。Butasherose，hisfacewasaltered，andhisvoicerangoutovertheisle，“Sail，ho！”
Allturnedatthecry，andthere，inthewildlightofthemorning，headingstraightforMidwayReef，wasthebrigFlyingScudofHull。
Theshipwhichthusappearedbeforethecastawayshadlong“tramped“theocean，wanderingfromoneporttoanotherasfreightsoffered。ShewastwoyearsoutfromLondon，bytheCapeofGoodHope，India，andtheArchipelago；andwasnowboundforSanFranciscointhehopeofworkinghomewardroundtheHorn。HercaptainwasoneJacobTrent。Hehadretiredsomefiveyearsbeforetoasuburbancottage，apatchofcabbages，agig，andtheconductofwhathecalledaBank。Thenameappearstohavebeenmisleading。Borrowerswereaccustomedtochooseworksofartandutilityinthefrontshop；
loavesofsugarandboltsofbroadclothweredepositedinpledge；anditwasapartofthemanager’sdutytodashinhisgigonSaturdayeveningsfromonesmallretailer’stoanother，andtoannexineachthebulkoftheweek’stakings。Hiswasthusanactivelife，andtoamanofthetypeofarat，filledwithreconditejoys。Anunexpectedloss，alawsuit，andtheunintelligentcommentaryofthejudgeuponthebench，combinedtodisgusthimofthebusiness。Iwassoextraordinarilyfortunateastofind，inanoldnewspaper，areportoftheproceedingsinLyallv。TheCardiffMutualAccommodationBankingCo。“IconfessIfailentirelytounderstandthenatureofthebusiness。”thejudgehadremarked，whileTrentwasbeingexaminedinchief；alittleafter，onfullerinformation——“Theycallitabank。”hehadopined，“butitseemstometobeanunlicensedpawnshop“；andhewoundupwiththisappallingallocution：“Mr。Trent，Imustputyouonyourguard；youmustbeverycareful，orweshallseeyouhereagain。”Intheinsideofaweekthecaptaindisposedofthebank，thecottage，andthegigandhorse；andtoseaagainintheFlyingScud，wherehedidwellandgavehighsatisfactiontohisowners。Butthegloryclungtohim；hewasaplainsailor-man，hesaid，buthecouldneverlongallowyoutoforgetthathehadbeenabanker。
Hismate，EliasGoddedaal，wasahugevikingofaman，sixfeetthreeandofproportionatemass，strong，sober，industrious，musical，andsentimental。HerancontinuallyoverintoSwedishmelodies，chieflyintheminor。HehadpaidninedollarstohearPatti；tohearNilsson，hehaddesertedashipandtwomonths’wages；andhewasreadyatanytimetowalktenmilesforagoodconcert，orseventoareasonableplay。Onboardhehadthreetreasures：acanarybird，aconcertina，andablindingcopyoftheworksofShakespeare。Hehadagift，peculiarlyScandinavian，ofmakingfriendsatsight：anelementalinnocencecommendedhim；hewaswithoutfear，withoutreproach，andwithoutmoneyorthehopeofmakingit。
Holdorsenwassecondmate，andberthedaft，butmessedusuallywiththehands。
Ofonemoreofthecrew，someimagelives。ThiswasaforemasthandoutoftheClyde，ofthenameofBrown。A
small，dark，thicksetcreature，withdog’seyes，ofadispositionincomparablymildandharmless，heknockedaboutseasandcities，theuncomplainingwhiptopofonevice。“Thedrinkismytrouble，yesee。”hesaidtoCarthewshyly；“andit’sthemoreshametomebecauseI’mcomeofverygoodpeopleatBowling，downthewa’er。”TheletterthatsomuchaffectedNares，incasethereadershouldrememberit，wasaddressedtothismanBrown。
Suchwastheshipthatnowcarriedjoyintothebosomsofthecastaways。Afterthefatigueandthebestialemotionsoftheirnightofplay，theapproachofsalvationshookthemfromallself-control。Theirhandstrembled，theireyesshone，theylaughedandshoutedlikechildrenastheyclearedtheircamp：
andsomeonebeginningtowhistle_MarchingThroughGeorgia，_theremainderofthepackingwasconducted，amidstathousandinterruptions，tothesemartialstrains。ButthestrongheadofWickswasonlypartlyturned。
“Boys。”hesaid，“easyall！We’regoingaboardofashipofwhichwedon’tknownothing；we’vegotachestofspecie，andseeingtheweight，wecan’tturntoanddenyit。Now，supposeshewasfishy；supposeitwassomekindofaBullyHayesbusiness！It’smyopinionwe’dbetterbeonhandwiththepistols。”
EverymanofthepartybutHemsteadhadsomekindofarevolver；thesewereaccordinglyloadedanddisposedaboutthepersonsofthecastaways，andthepackingwasresumedandfinishedinthesamerapturousspiritasitwasbegun。Thesunwasnotyettendegreesabovetheeasternsea，butthebrigwasalreadycloseinandhoveto，beforetheyhadlaunchedtheboatandsped，shoutingattheoars，towardsthepassage。
Itwasblowingfreshoutside，withastrongsendofsea。Thesprayflewintheoarsmen’sfaces。TheysawtheUnionJackblowabroadfromtheFlyingScud，themenclusteredattherail，thecookinthegalleydoor，thecaptainonthequarter-deckwithapithhelmetandbinoculars。Andthewholefamiliarbusiness，thecomfort，company，andsafetyofaship，heavingnearerateachstroke，maddenedthemwithjoy。
Wickswasthefirsttocatchtheline，andswarmonboard，helpinghandsgrabbinghimashecameandhaulinghimacrosstherail。
“Captain，sir，Isuppose？”hesaid，turningtothehardoldmaninthepithhelmet。
“CaptainTrent，sir。”returnedtheoldgentleman。
“Well，I’mCaptainKirkup，andthisisthecrewoftheSydneyschoonerCurrencyLass，dismastedatseaJanuary28th。”
“Ay，ay。”saidTrent。“Well，you’reallrightnow。LuckyforyouIsawyoursignal。Ididn’tknowIwassonearthisbeastlyisland，theremustbeadrifttothesouth’ardhere；andwhenI
cameondeckthismorningateightbells，Ithoughtitwasashipafire。”
Ithadbeenagreedthat，whileWickswastoboardtheshipanddothecivil，therestweretoremaininthewhaleboatandseethetreasuresafe。Atacklewaspasseddowntothem；tothistheymadefasttheinvaluablechest，andgavethewordtoheave。Buttheunexpectedweightbroughtthehandatthetackletoastand；twoothersrantotailonandhelphim，andthethingcaughttheeyeofTrent。
“’Vastheaving！”hecriedsharply；andthentoWicks：“What’sthat？Idon’teverremembertohaveseenachestweighlikethat。”
“It’smoney。”saidWicks。
“It’swhat？”criedTrent。
“Specie。”saidWicks；“savedfromthewreck。”
Trentlookedathimsharply。“Here，letgothatchestagain，Mr。
Goddedaal。”hecommanded，“shovetheboatoff，andstreamherwithalineastern。”
“Ay，ay，sir！”fromGoddedaal。
“Whatthedevil’swrong？”askedWicks。
“Nothing，Idaresay。”returnedTrent。“Butyou’llallowit’saqueerthingwhenaboatturnsupinmid-oceanwithhalfatonofspecie，——andeverybodyarmed。”headded，pointingtoWicks’spocket。“Yourboatwilllaycomfortablyastern，whileyoucomebelowandmakeyourselfsatisfactory。”
“O，ifthat’sall！”saidWicks。“Mylogandpapersareasrightasthemail；nothingfishyaboutus。”Andhehailedhisfriendsintheboat，biddingthemhavepatience，andturnedtofollowCaptainTrent。
“Thisway，CaptainKirkup。”saidthelatter。“Anddon’tblameamanfortoomuchcaution；nooffenceintended；andtheseChinariversshakeafellow’snerve。AllIwantisjusttoseeyou’rewhatyousayyouare；it’sonlymyduty，sir，andwhatyouwoulddoyourselfinthecircumstances。I’venotalwaysbeenaship-captain：Iwasabankeronce，andItellyouthat’sthetradetolearncautionin。Youhavetokeepyourweather-
eyeliftingSaturdaynights。”Andwithadry，business-likecordiality，heproducedabottleofgin。
Thecaptainspledgedeachother；thepaperswereoverhauled；
thetaleofTopeliusandthetradewastoldinappreciativeearsandcementedtheiracquaintance。Trent’ssuspicions，thusfinallydisposedof，weresucceededbyafitofprofoundthought，duringwhichhesatlethargicandstern，lookingatanddrummingonthetable。
“Anythingmore？”askedWicks。
“Whatsortofaplaceisitinside？”inquiredTrent，suddenasthoughWickshadtouchedaspring。
“It’sagoodenoughlagoon——afewhorses’heads，butnothingtomention。”answeredWicks。
“I’veagoodmindtogoin。”saidTrent。“IwasnewriggedinChina；it’sgivenverybad，andI’mgettingfrightenedformysticks。Wecouldsetitupasgoodasnewinaday。ForI
daresayyourlotwouldturntoandgiveusahand？”
“Youseeifwedon’t！”saidWicks。
“Sobeit，then。”concludedTrent。“Astitchintimesavesnine。”
Theyreturnedondeck；WickscriedthenewstotheCurrencyLasses；theforetopsailwasfilledagain，andthebrigranintothelagoonlively，thewhaleboatdancinginherwake，andcametosingleanchoroffMiddleBrooksIslandbeforeeight。Shewasboardedbythecastaways，breakfastwasserved，thebaggageslungonboardandpiledinthewaist，andallhandsturnedtoupontherigging。Alldaytheworkcontinued，thetwocrewsrivallingeachotherinexpenseofstrength。Dinnerwasservedondeck，theofficersmessingaftundertheslackofthespanker，themenfraternisingforward。Trentappearedinexcellentspirits，servedoutgrogtoallhands，openedabottleofCapewinefortheafter-table，andobligedhisguestswithmanydetailsofthelifeofafinancierinCardiff。Hehadbeenfortyyearsatsea，hadfivetimessufferedshipwreck，wasonceninemonthstheprisonerofapepperrajah，andhadseenserviceunderfireinChineserivers；buttheonlythinghecaredtotalkof，theonlythingofwhichhewasvain，orwithwhichhethoughtitpossibletointerestastranger，washiscareerasamoney-lenderintheslumsofaseaporttown。
TheafternoonspelltoldcruellyontheCurrencyLasses。
Alreadyexhaustedastheywerewithsleeplessnessandexcitement，theydidthelasthoursofthisviolentemploymentonbarenerves；andwhenTrentwasatlastsatisfiedwiththeconditionofhisrigging，expectedeagerlythewordtoputtosea。Butthecaptainseemedinnohurry。Hewentandwalkedbyhimselfsoftly，likeamaninthought。PresentlyhehailedWicks。
“You’reakindofcompany，ain’tyou，CaptainKirkup？”heinquired。
“Yes，we’reallonboardonlays。”wasthereply。
“Well，then，youwon’tmindifIaskthelotofyoudowntoteainthecabin？”askedTrent。
