the skiff, sure enough! I could just barely see her. I felt ever so thankful. In another second I would ’a’ been aboard of her, but just then the door opened. One of the men stuck his head out only about a couple of foot from me, and I thought I was gone; but he jerked it in again, and says:

“Heave that blame lantern out o’ sight, Bill!” He flung a bag of something into the boat, and then got in himself and set down.

It was Packard. Then Bill he come out and got in. Packard says, in a low voice:

“All ready — shove off!”

I couldn’t hardly hang on to the shutters, I was so weak. But Bill says:

“Hold on — ’d you go through him?”