THE WORLD OF ICE. 29

advised him not to go, he only laughed at me, which
was very unkind, I’m sure.”

Here Mrs. Bright’s feelings overcame her again.

“Why, aunt,” said Fred, scarce able to restrai a
laugh, despite the sadness that lay at his heart, “when
the sailor said it was a crack ship, he meant that it
was a good one, a first-rate one.”

“Then why did he not say what he meant? But
you are talking nonsense, boy. Do you think that I
will believe a man means to say a thing is good when
he calls it cracked ? and I’m sure nobody would say a
cracked tea-pot was as good as a whole one. But tell
me, Buzzby, do you think they ever will come back ?”

“Why, ma’am, in coorse I do,” replied Buzzby,
vehemently ; “for why, if they don’t, they’re the
first that ever went out o’ this port in my day as
didn’t. They’ve a good ship and lots 0’ grub, and it’s
like to be a good season; and Captain Ellice has, for
the most part, good luck; and they’ve started with a
fair wind, and kep’ clear of a Friday, and what more
could ye wish? I only wish as I was aboard along
with them, that’s all.”

Buzzby delivered himself of this oration with the
left eye shut and screwed up, and the right one open.
Having concluded, he shut and screwed up the right
eye, and opened the left—he reversed the engine, so
to speak, as if he wished to back out from the scene
of his triumph and leave the course clear for others
to speak. But his words were thrown away on Mrs.
Bright, who was emphatically a weak-minded woman,