"We forgot all about how hot it was and hustled out on the reef right at
the mouth of the lagoon. I had a coat on a stick, and I waved it for a
signal, and Hammond set to work building a bonfire. He got a noble one
blazing and then him and me stood and watched the schooner.
"She was acting dreadful queer. First she'd go ahead on one tack and
then give a heave over and come about with a bang, sails flapping and
everything of a shake; then she'd give another slat and go off another
way; but mainly she kept right on toward the island.
"'W'at's the matter aboard there?' says Hammond. 'Is hall 'ands drunk?'
"'She's abandoned,' says I. 'That's what's the matter. There ain't
NOBODY aboard of her.'
"Then we both says, 'Salvage!' and shook hands.
"The schooner came nearer and nearer. It begun to look as if she'd smash
against the rocks in front of us, but she didn't. When she got opposite
the mouth of the lagoon she heeled over on a new tack and sailed in
between the rocks as pretty as anything ever you see. Then she run
aground on the beach just about a quarter of a mile from the shanty.
"'Twas early morning when we climbed aboard of her. I thought Lazarus'
schooner was dirty, but this one was nothing BUT dirt. Dirty sails, all
patches, dirty deck, dirty everything.
"'Won't get much salvage on this bally tub,' says Hammond; 'she's one of
them nigger fish boats, that's w'at she is.
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