“They said that any bit of canvas might wave like that, and that it was plain enough that the vessel was abandoned.  If it was not, it could be, for there was a boat still hanging to one of its davits.  Captain Guy paid no attention to this, but spied a little longer; then he vowed that he was going to make for that vessel.  There was one of the owners on board, and he up and forbid Captain Guy to do it.  He told him that they had been delayed enough on the voyage by light winds, and now that they would be over-due at their port a good many days before they got there.  Every day lost, he said, was money lost to the owners.  He had never heard of any skipper undertaking a piece of tomfoolery like this.  It would take all day to beat up to that wreck, and when they reached it they would find an old derelict, which was no more than they could see now.  And as for there being a woman on board, that was all stuff.  The skipper had woman on the brain.

“To this Captain Guy answered that he didn’t own the ship, but he commanded her, and as long as he commanded this vessel or any other, he was not going to pass a wreck when there were good reasons to believe that there was a human being on board of it, and in spite of what anybody said, his eyes told him that there was reason to believe that there was somebody waving on that wreck.  So he ordered the ship put about, paying no attention to the cursing and swearing of the owner, and beat against a wind that was getting lighter and lighter for over four hours until he reached the French steamer and took off the two ladies.

“There was nobody on board the Glanford that thinks that Captain Guy will ever sail that ship again.  And in fact he don’t think so himself.  But said he to me:  “If I can marry that girl, the ship can go.  If I can’t get another ship, I can sail under a skipper.  But there’s no other girl in the world like this one.”

“And so you see, sir,” he continued, “there isn’t the least chance in the world for you.  Captain Guy’s got her on board his ship; he’s with her by sunlight and starlight.  He’s lost his ship for her and he wants to marry her.  And on the other hand, it’ll be weeks and weeks and perhaps months before you can see her, or write to her either, as like as not, and long before that Captain Guy will have his affair settled, and there isn’t any reason in my mind to doubt which way it will settle.  And so you just take my advice, sir, and stop drawing that long face.  There are plenty of good girls in the world; no reason why you shouldn’t get one; but if you are moping for the one that Captain Guy’s got his heart set on, I’m afraid you’ll end by being as much out of your head as you were when I found you.”

To all this I made no answer, but walked gloomily toward the stern and looked down into the foaming wake.  I think I heard the captain tell one of the men to keep an eye on me.