“True as I’m a settin’ here,” maintained the story teller.
“Aye, I’ve heerd of it afore,” supplemented old Lem.
“Seed about it in the ship’s log-book, myself,” Cap’n Pem assured them. “Ye can read it yersel’s when ye go back. It’s over to the Mus’um in New Bedford.”
“Well, I can believe anything after what I’ve seen and heard,” admitted Tom.
“Reckon we’d better be gittin’ ’long back ter the ship,” observed Cap’n Pem. “Skipper’ll think we’ve decided for to settle down here.”
With hearty handshakes and thanks for the islanders’ hospitality, the two boys invited Paul and Getty to visit the Hector when their grandfather came off next day, and accompanied by a group of their new-found friends, they made their way to the landing place. Already, a large amount of provisions had been brought down and the boats were just returning from taking a load aboard the Hector. Captain Edwards was already on the bark and he laughed heartily and was much interested at the boys’ accounts of their experiences on the island.
The following day, the islanders visited the ship and after the midday meal, when all the supplies had been loaded, the captain had the decks cleared and the men spent the afternoon skylarking with their visitors.
Early the next morning, the boys were aroused by the clank of the anchor chain and the rousing capstan chantey, as the men, walking the handspikes around, sang lustily:
“Oh, a ship she was rigged and ready for sea,
Windy weather! Stormy weather!
And all of her sailors were fishes to be,
Blow ye winds, westerly, gentle sou’ westerly,
Blow ye winds westerly, steady she goes.”
Hurrying on deck, the boys found the bark already slipping through the water, while on the shore and resting on their oars in the boats, the islanders were waving farewells and shouting good wishes for a quick voyage and a full cargo.