Spreading the parchment on a smooth rock, the two boys studied the indistinct characters upon it, but for some time could make nothing of them. Gradually, however, they began to recognize letters, and slowly and with much hesitation and difficulty spelled out the following:
“Two hoo shal fine these leter for God sak save mee. iam reckt on a illan west off elyfant illan in the soth shetlans yu kan tel the won by too piks stikin up on the eas end i am seemans off the brig ellen of st Helena we was kroosin an see a worship she was a gurman an sink us an fir on the botes i was hit an wen i cum two i seen nothin I drifted a long tyme an most starf an dye of thurst wen I seen lan i no it was the soth shetlans cuss i bin theyre bfour too kil elyfonts mi bot drift one these ilant an I find a ole hut I bin her long tym an I am sik mi wun want heel i muss dy if non resku me I amm goin two ty this to a allybtros whut i haf cot mae god dyrect it too sum crishun an knot two a hun. yurs respekfuli
“Sam Holt
“p. S. i think this is disemper but I do not sur i los trak ov tym wile i byn sik.”
For an instant, the two boys sat speechless, absolutely dumbfounded at the story disclosed by the parchment so miraculously secured.
“Gosh, he’s right near here!” cried Tom, at last. “Say, we’ve got to hustle down and tell Cap’n Pem. Perhaps we can rescue him!”
Dashing as fast as they could over the rough ground, risking broken bones and bruises, forgetting all except to tell the old whaleman of their discovery, the two boys jumped, leaped, scrambled and ran, until, breathless and exhausted, they rushed into camp and hurled themselves on the old man.
“Gosh all mackerel!” ejaculated Cap’n Pem. “What’n tarnation’s up now? Seed a ghos’?”
“Oh, Cap’n Pem!” panted Tom. “We found a message—a letter—there’s a man—shipwrecked—on an island.”
“West of here!” Jim went on as Tom paused for breath. “See, here’s the message—found it on an albatross. Can’t we save him?”
“What?” ejaculated Cap’n Pem, while a number of the men gathered about attracted by the boys’ excitement. “What’s that ye’re a-sayin’? Man shipwrecked? Found a message on a albatross, eh? Blow me ef ’tisn’t!”
Then, having recovered themselves, the two boys rapidly told their story, while the old whaleman studied the message.