152 THE CAST-AWAY. 



gation. "He was whistling the tune of that 

 devilish song, — 



" ' Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, 

 Yo- ho - ho, and a bottle of rum.' 



If you was us, you'd jumped on him, too, sir! ,, 



I turned to the bruised whistler, and I said, 

 " Joe, my man, what shall I do to these lads ? " 



" Let 'em all go, sir," said Mattapoisett, " I got 

 no more 'n I deserved." 



" Now go forward, every man of you," said I, 

 " and let me hear no more of your troubles." 



I say the third day went by. Perhaps that is 

 an over-statement. As my men started forward, 

 the sun was already setting. The whole harbor 

 was red in its glare. 



No sooner had the crew left the quarter-deck 

 than loud cheers were heard off to starboard. 

 The men on the British whaler were dancing 

 about like lunatics, pitching their caps into the 

 air, and shouting themselves hoarse. 



" 'Urrigh! 'Urrigh ! ! 'Urrigh ! ! ! " they yelled. 

 " 'Ere's for the cooper, once more, boys, — 

 'Urri-i-i-i-igh ! " 



A tiny fishing smack had been beating up the 

 harbor for the last hour, and now she was coming 

 alongside the lime-juicer. Once within hailing 



