"'Oh, no,' says Sam. 'No use, b'y.'
"'Skipper Sam,' says Tom, 'I'm sorry!'
"'Ay,' says Sam; ''tis a sad death for an ol' man—squattin' out here all alone on the ice an' shiverin' with the cold until he shakes his poor damned soul out.'
"'Not damned!' cries Tom. 'Oh, don't say it!'
"'Ah, well!' says Sam; 'sittin' here all alone I been thinkin'.'
"''Tisn't by any man's wish that you're here, poor man!' says Tom.
"'Oh, no,' says Sam. 'No blame t' nobody. My time's come. That's all. But I wisht I had a seat in your rodney, Tom.'
"An' then Tom chuckled.
"'What you laughin' at?' says Sam.
"'I got a comical idea,' says Tom.