“Heave, heave clear of all,” shouted a stern, manly voice from the quarter-deck of the ship at this moment; “heave with a will.”

And a stout tow-line rattled through the air with a whizzing sound and lay between the mate’s extended arms.  This was instantly seized upon, and while one of the men took a turn about the stanchion in the bow of the boat, those on board the ship gathered in the line until the boat was safely moored under her quarter.  No words were exchanged, until the ladies, first, and the seamen next, were taken on board:  the fact of their being wrecked and in distress being too apparent to require questioning.  The valuables in the boat were quickly transferred to the ship, and the little craft which had proved an ark of safety to the adventurers, was then cut adrift, and soon lay a mere speck upon the waters, unguided and alone.

As the boat drifted for a moment astern of the vessel before the party were taken on board, the mate rend her name on the stern in golden letters, “The Sea Witch.”  The foremast hands who had been saved from the wreck soon mingled with the crew on the forecastle of the “Sea Witch,” and told their story there, while the mate and the ladies were received in the most hospitable manner in the cabin, where the captain endeavored to offer them every comfort the ship afforded, and to place every resource entirely at their command.

Mrs. Huntington and her daughter were at first too tearful and full of gratitude for their preservation to converse, and soon took advantage of the kind offer which placed the captain’s private apartments entirely at their service, while the mate explained their adventures in detail, not forgetting the phantom ship which passed them in the gale, and which had caused such consternation on board the wrecked Indiaman.  But his story in this particular was unfortunately spoiled, when Captain Ratlin told him positively that he was at that moment on board the very craft which he had designated as the Flying Dutchman.  A remark that for a moment puzzled the honest seaman and led him to look suspiciously about him; but a few corroborating remarks soon placed the subject at rest in even the mate’s credulous mind.

The fact was, that the same gale which had made a wreck of the Indiaman, had driven the “Sea Witch” two days’ sail or more out of her course, and had thus brought her in sight of the Bengal at that critical moment when it would have been impossible to have rendered her the least assistance.  The continuance of the gale had carried the ship far to the southward, from whence she was now returning.