butassoonasheturnedthecornerIwentbackandgotintomyskiffandbailedherout,andthenpulledupshoreintheeasywateraboutsixhundredyards,andtuckedmyselfinamongsomewoodboats;forIcouldn&39;tresteasytillIcouldseetheferryboatstart.Buttakeitallaround,Iwasfeelingruthercomfortableonaccountsoftakingallthistroubleforthatgang,fornotmanywouldadoneit.Iwishedthewidowknowedaboutit.IjudgedshewouldbeproudofmeforhelpingtheserapscallionsTheyouthremainedawholeyearwiththethirdmasteralso,andwhenhe,becauserapscallionsanddeadbeatsisthekindthewidowandgoodpeopletakesthemostinterestin.Well,beforelongherecomesthewreck,dimanddusky,slidingalongdown!Akindofcoldshiverwentthroughme,andthenIstruckoutforher.Shewasverydeep,andIseeinaminutetherewarn&39;tmuchchanceforanybodybeingaliveinher.Ipulledallaroundherandholleredalittle,buttherewasn&39;tanyanswer;alldeadstill.Ifeltalittlebitheavy-heartedaboutthegang,butnotmuch,forIreckonediftheycouldstanditIcould.Thenherecomestheferryboat;soIshovedforthemiddleoftheriveronalongdown-streamslant;andwhenIjudgedIwasoutofeye-reachIlaidonmyoars,andlookedbackandseehergoandsmellaroundthewreckforMissHooker&39;sremainders,becausethecaptainwouldknowheruncleHornbackwouldwantthem;andthenprettysoontheferryboatgiveitupandwentfortheshore,andIlaidintomyworkandwenta-boomingdowntheriver.ItdidseemapowerfullongtimebeforeJim&39;slightshowedup;andwhenitdidshowitlookedlikeitwasathousandmileoff.BythetimeIgottheretheskywasbeginningtogetalittlegrayintheeast;sowestruckforanisland,andhidtheraft,andsunktheskiff,andturnedinandsleptlikedeadpeople.
