"'But I want to tell you one thing,' sez the Flyin' Dutchman, sez he; 'ef it's the weather an' the lee shore you're a-worrin' about, I can prove to ye that I 'ain't got no sort o' interest in it.'
"'How can ye do that?' sez I to he, sez I.
"'I'll tow ye round the cape,' sez he.
"Waal, my sons, ye could 'a' knocked me down with a compass-card. Who ever heard o' the Flyin' Dutchman doin' sich a thing?
"'All right,' sez I to he, sez I. 'Will you give us a line?'
"'Sure,' sez he; 'look out there forrad.'
"He blowed that whistle o' his a couple o' times, an' the end o' a heavin'-line lit onto my fo'k's'le deck. The hands was 'mos' afraid to touch it, but bime-by Hiram Sink got the hawser aboard an' made fast. The Flyin' Dutchman's launch were dropped astern, an' his bloomin' steam-yacht went ahead, towin' us along at about seven knots an hour. As fur him he walked up an' down the deck mumblin' to hisself like he were puffickly disgusted with the entire perceedin's. Arter he'd towed us putty well past the cape, an' I commenced fur to feel a leetle easier in my mind, I walked up to him, an' sez I to he, sez I,
"'Look here, Mr. Flyin' Dutchman.'
"'Waal, Mr. Sailin' American, wot are it?'
"'I'd like fur to have the privilege o' axin' you a fair question.'