apple-jack at the island; and they had closely followed its fortunes,
from first to last. He had more than half tried, indeed, to work himself
in among the crowd, as one of the "sufferers," but with no manner of
success.

The officers of the ship knew every face that had any right to a
spoonful, and Burgin's failed to pass him. He had not failed, however,
to note that his coveted "medicine" was by no means exhausted, and to
see Ham stow the demijohn carefully away, at last, under the half-deck
of "The Swallow." That information had given all the inducement required
to get old Peter and his boat across the bay; and the ancient "wrecker"
was as anxious about the result as the tramp himself could be. It was
hard to say, now, which of them was the first on board "The Swallow."

"It ain't locked!"

"Then the jug ain't thar."

"Wall, it is," exclaimed Burgin triumphantly, as he pulled it out; but
his under jaw dropped a little when he felt "how light it lifted."

"Reckon they helped themselves on thar way hum."

It was a good deal worse than that; and an angry and disappointed pair
were they when the cork and the truth came out.

"Thar's jest a good smell!"

That was old Peter's remark; and it sounded as if words failed him to
add to it, but Burgin's wrath exploded in a torrent of bitter abuse of