“Well, my friends, I did not breakfast with Miss Minturn and her father.  Before that meal was ready, and while I was standing alone at the stern, I saw coming out of the water, a long way off in the fog, which must have been growing thinner about this time, a dark and mysterious object, apparently without any shape or form.  This sight made the teeth chatter in my head.  I had expected to be pulled down to the Water-devil, but I had never imagined that he would come up to us!

“While my eyes were glued upon this apparition, I could see that we were approaching it.  When I perceived this, I shut my eyes and turned my back—­I could look upon it no longer.  My mind seemed to forsake me; I did not even try to call out and give the alarm to the others.  Why should I?  What could they do?”

“If it had been me,” said Mrs. Fryker, in a sort of gasping whisper, “I should have died right there.”  The marine turned his eyes in the direction of the blacksmith’s daughter.  She was engaged with her work, and was not looking at him.

“I cannot say,” he continued, “that, had Miss Minturn been there at that moment, that I would not have declared that I was ready to die for her or with her; but there was no need of trying to keep up her courage, that was all right.  She knew nothing of our danger.  That terrible knowledge pressed on me alone.  Is it wonderful that a human soul should sink a little under such an awful load?” Without turning to observe the effect of these last words, the marine went on.  “Suddenly I heard behind me a most dreadful sound.  ‘Good Heavens,’ I exclaimed, ‘can a Water-devil bray?’

“The sound was repeated.  Without knowing what I did, I turned.  I heard what sounded like words; I saw in the fog the stern of a vessel, with a man above it, shouting to me through a speaking-trumpet.

“I do not know what happened next; my mind must have become confused.  When I regained my senses, Miss Minturn, old Mr. Minturn, and the maid were standing by me.  The man had stopped shouting from his trumpet, and a boat was being lowered from the other ship.  In about ten minutes there were half-a-dozen men on board of us, all in the uniform of the British navy.  I was stiff enough now, and felt myself from top to toe a regular marine in the service of my country.  I stepped up to the officer in command and touched my cap.

“He looked at me and my companions in surprise, and then glancing along the deck, said, ‘What has happened to this vessel?  Who is in command?’ I informed him, that, strictly speaking, no one was in command, but that I represented the captain, officers, and crew of this steamer, the General Brooks, from San Francisco to Calcutta, and I then proceeded to tell him the whole story of our misfortunes; and concluded by telling the officer, that if we had not moved since his vessel had come in sight, it was probably because the Water-devil had let go of us, and was preparing to make fast to the other ship; and therefore it would be advisable for us all to get on board his vessel, and steam away as quickly as possible.