In the Wrong Boat. 155 



sent his boy with them to show them the boat. It 

 proved to be a fine one, with nice long oars. Well 

 satisfied with their good fortune, they stepped into 

 it, and were soon in the middle of the bay. The 

 night was fair, and their prospects were good, so that 

 they were in no hurry to return. It was not till about 

 midnight that they cared to relinquish their hunting 

 and turn homewards. When approaching the pier 

 they were rather surprised, late as the hour was, to 

 perceive two men at the steps. They heard one of 

 them cry, as soon as they came in sight 



"That's her, that's her; if I get a hold of the 

 wretches I'll drown them." 



As they neared the landing a volley of curses was 

 poured down upon them. Fearing danger, they held 

 back a little till they could learn how matters stood. 

 It soon appeared that they had taken away a boat 

 they had no right to. They tried to explain how they 

 came by it, but the man was in such a fury that he 

 would not hearken to anything they said. It was a 

 question whether he heard them at all amidst the 

 noisy torrent of terrific language he was using. At 

 last his companion seemed to explain to him how the 

 mistake had happened. The fact was, the agent's boy 

 had not taken the trouble to see whether he was 

 pointing to his master's boat or a stranger's. The 

 two men were the captain and mate of a trading 

 sloop. They had hurriedly come ashore for a few 

 things that they wanted, leaving their boat at the 

 steps, and lo ! when they came back, the boat was 

 gone. 



They had been watching for the last four hours, 



