“As one of the men who had been brought away in the third boat ascended the ship’s side, the mate, catching a glimpse of his face, started back in consternation. It was the very face he had seen three or four hours before, looking up at him from the captain’s desk! He communicated this fact to the captain.
“After the comfort of the passengers had been seen to, the captain turned to the stranger, and said to him: ‘I hope, sir, you will not think I am trifling with you, but I would be much obliged to you if you would write a few words on this slate.’ And he handed him the slate, with that side up on which the mysterious writing was not.
“‘I will do anything you ask,’ replied the passenger, ‘but what shall I write?’
“‘A few words are all I want. Suppose you write: ‘Steer to the nor’-west.’
“The passenger, evidently puzzled to make out the motive of such a request, complied, however, with a smile. The captain took up the slate and examined it closely; then stepping aside so as to conceal the slate from the passenger, he turned it over and gave it to him the other side up.
“‘You say that this is your handwriting?’ said he.
“‘I need not say so,’ replied the other, looking at it, ‘for you saw me write it.’
“‘And this?’ said the captain, turning the slate over.
“The man looked first at one writing, then at the other, quite confounded. At last: ‘What is the meaning of this?’ said he. ‘I only wrote one of these. Who wrote the other?’
“‘That’s more than I can tell you, sir. My mate here says you wrote it, sitting at this desk, at noon to-day!’