The boys told him.
“And so,” said Captain Pratt, “he came here next day, and found the schooner lying here, and did nothing—jest sot down and lamented over her. Why, what’s the man made of? He’s about the only man I ever heard of that could sit still and see his property perish.”
“But all the people in the village thought it was lost.”
“Of course. If he said so, they believed him. If he did nothing, why should they try to do anything? If a man won’t help himself, you don’t suppose other people’s goin to help him—do you?”
“And do you think, after all, that she could have been saved?”
“Course she could.”
“And she wasn’t lost?”
“Course she wasn’t.”
“Could she be saved now?”
“Course she can.”