Without waiting for an answer to his question, the officer ordered a hammock to be lowered, in which we carefully placed Angela, who was thereupon hoisted on the frigate's deck. We men followed, and were received by a fine old gentleman with a florid face and white hair, whom I rightly conjectured to be the captain.
"Well," he said, quietly, "what can I do for you?"
"Water," I gasped, for the exertion of coming on board had been almost too much for me.
"Poor fellow! Certainly. Why did I not think of it before? You shall have both food and drink. Somebody bring water with a dash of rum in it--not too much, they are weak. And Mr. Charles, tell the wardroom steward to get a square meal ready for this gentleman. Might I ask your name, sir?"
"Thank you, Mr. Fortescue. Mine is Bigelow, and I have the honor to command the United States ship Constellation. Here's the water! I hope you have not forgotten the dash of rum, Tomkins.--There! Take a long drink. You will feel better now, and when you have had a square meal, you shall tell me all about it. And the others? You are an old salt, anybody can see that."
"Yes, sir. Bill Yawl at your service, an old man-o'-war's man, able-bodied seaman, bo's'n, and ship's carpenter, anything you like sir. Ax your pardon, sir, but a glass of half-water grog--"
"Not until you have eaten. Then you may have two glasses. Tomkins, take these men to the purser and tell him to give them a square meal. The doctor is attending to your wife, Mr. Fortescue. She is in my state-room and shall have every comfort we can give her."
"I thank you with all my heart, Captain Bigelow. You are really too good, I can never--"
"Tut, tut, tut, my dear sir. Pray don't say a word. I have only given her my spare state-room. Mr. Charles will take you to the ward-room, we can talk afterward. Meanwhile, I shall have your belongings got on board, and then, I suppose, we had better sink that craft of yours. If we leave her to knock about the ocean she may be knocking against some ship in the night and doing her a mischief."
After I had eaten the "square meal" set for me in the ward-room, and spent a few minutes with Angela, I joined the captain and first lieutenant in the former's state-room, and over a glass of grog, told them briefly, but frankly, something of my life and adventures.