“No, except one that only touched an’ went off without discovering that we were here, an’ none of us found out she had bin here till we chanced to see her sailin’ away far out to sea. That was five years ago.”
“That’s very strange and interestin’. I’d like well to visit old Adams, lad, an’ I thank ’ee for the invitation; but I won’t run my ship through such a surf as that, an’ don’t like to risk leavin’ her to go ashore in your canoe.”
“If you please, sir, I’d be very glad to go, an’ bring off what news there is,” said Jack, the English sailor, whose surname was Brace.
At first Captain Folger refused this offer, but on consideration he allowed Jack to go, promising at the same time to keep as near to the shore as possible, so that if there was anything like treachery he might have a chance of swimming off.
“So your father is dead?” asked the captain, as he walked with Thursday to the side.
“Yes, long, long ago.”
“But you called Adams ‘father’ just now. How’s that?”
“Oh, we all calls ’im that. It’s only a way we’ve got into.”
“What made your father call you Thursday?”
“’Cause I was born on a Thursday.”