“He was once,” said Hurd, “but left it off years ago.”
“Halloo! What’s this?” said George Hoyt.
A handkerchief lay on the fender. They brought it aboard on the point of a boat-hook.
“It’s Peterson’s,” said Elwell; “there’s his name on it.”
“It’s just as I thought,” said the captain. “He drank last night; that waked up the old appetite, and as soon as he turned out this morning he went for more, and fell off the gangway plank.”
A grappling was procured ashore, and the crew, under the direction of the captain, who was deeply moved, grappled for the body the greater part of the day, without success. In the meanwhile, the mate was making inquiries on shore.
“The tide runs strong here,” said the captain; “it has swept him to sea.”
“Poor Jim has gone, boys,” said Eaton, as, weary and dispirited, they sat down to supper.
“Anybody wouldn’t have thought,” said Savage, “he’d a broke through, after being a steady man so long. The captain feels bad, but he’s done all a man could do.”