"In the time of St. Paul, however, there were four anchors, if I remember aright, cast out of the stern."
"I don't see how the anchor is going to help us. This long Tom Coffin has nothing of the kind."
"You are sadly deficient in observation, Corry, or you would have observed a rope, very much abraded indeed, but still a rope, by which the vessel may be said, even though figuratively, to be anchored to this stake."
"It's you're the clever man, Wilks; education has done wonders for you. Now, I remember that rope is the painter; that's what The Crew called it on the dingy, and of course it was fastened to the bow."
"But to the stern of the larger vessel."
"Yes, but here there is no larger vessel. If you want one, for argument sake, you'll have to imagine the post to be it. The coffin is bow on to the shore."
"Corry, I insist, if I am to trust myself to this craft, that you call it by some other name."
"Were you ever in anything of the kind before, Wilks?"
"Never."
"Nor I." These simple words had in them a depth of meaning.