Captain Applegarth stepped up to him.
“I am sorry I can’t speak Spanish, sir, though I understand you to say you’re better. We’re Englishmen all on board this ship, sir, and I’m glad we’ve been able to pick you up.”
The eyes of the man glistened and a pleased expression stole over his face.
“What! You are English! he exclaimed excitedly. But—but I’m an American! Only I’ve been so long in Venezuela amongst Spaniards that I sometimes forget my own language.”
Our skipper was equally delighted.
“By George!” he said. “I was sure you were no blessed foreigner, in spite of your lingo, sir! Welcome on board the Star of the North.”
The stranger looked round and his manner changed at once, and he pointed towards our funnels anxiously and their escaping steam.
“A steam vessel, eh!”
“Yes, sir,” said the skipper. “I command her, sir. Cap’en Applegarth, at your service!”
“The deuce! I was forgetting. We passed you last night, I remember now! and you’re the captain?”