"No, sir," replied Jack, respectfully; but instantly throwing a tone of pathetic appeal into his voice: "Why, Capt'n, look a' here! It's hard seein' any diff'rence between young babbies in broad sunlight and a smooth sea; but down in the ragin' waves, an' in the night time, now? It ain't in reason."
Mr. George nodded, and Slade, after thinking a moment, asked mildly:
"Did you happen to know any of the passengers, Jack?"
"When a cove hails from the fo'castle, your honor, he ain't apt to be over intimate in the cabins; but I knew one lady aboard, if I do say it."
"Ah," exclaimed Eben Slade, "now we have it! You knew one lady aboard. Which of the ladies was this?"
"It was the stewardess, sir, and she was drownded."
"And you knew no other lady, eh?"
"Can't say, sir. Opinions differ as to knowin'; what some might call bein' acquainted another might call otherwise," said Jack, with a scrape, and a light touch at his forelock.
"Right!" pursued Eben Slade. "Now did you happen to be 'acquainted, or otherwise,' with either Mrs. Reed or Mrs. Robertson?"
"I was 'otherwise,' your honor, with every lady on the ship, exceptin' the party I told you was drownded."