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Updated: May 14, 2025
"There, Will'm!" interposed Ben. "Look out that way! there he be, right astarn, don't ye see?" "I see, I see!" cried William. "O, look, Lalee! What in odd fish it is! I never saw one like it before."
The first thought of the sailor, on recognising his chest, was that some misfortune had happened to the raft, and that it had gone to pieces. "Poor little Will'm!" said he. "If that be so, then it be all over wi' him." This belief was but of short duration, and was followed by a reflection of a more pleasant kind. "No!" he exclaimed, contradicting his first hypothesis, "It can't be that.
I think it was a voice." "Voice o' a human, do ye mean?" "It sounded like that of a little girl." "Voice o' a little girl! Shiver my timbers, lad, you're goin' demented! Put yer face close to mine. Let me see ye, boy! Are ye in yer senses, Will'm?" "I am, Ben. I'm sure I heard what I've said. Twice I heard it. The first time I wasn't sure; but just now I heard it again, and if "
Theer 's allers somethin' to be heerd: even here, in the middle o' the Atlantic. Ah! boy, I was dreamin' a nice dream when ye woke me. I thought I war back on the ole frigate. 'T wa'nt so nice, eyther, for I thought the bos'n war roustin' me up for my watch on deck. Anyhow, would a been better than this watch here. Heerd something ye say? What d'ye mean, little Will'm?" "I heard a voice, Ben.
"Little Will'm," taking his place on the opposite side, imitated the action; and the craft commenced moving onward over the calm surface of the sea. The boy, though only sixteen, was skilled in the use of an oar, and could handle it in whatever fashion. He had learnt the art long before he had thought of going to sea; and it now stood him in good stead.
The first be called a prayer, the t'other be a thanksgivin'. Thear ain't much difference, as I could ever see; tho' I've heerd the ship's chaplain go through 'em both, ay, scores o' times; but the one as we want now be the thanksgivin'; an' I know little Will'm here can go through it like a breeze. Did you ever hear Will'm pray, Snowy?" "Nebba!
"Stay here!" exclaimed the sailor, who no longer spoke in whispers, since such would no longer avail. "Anything but that. Quick, Snowy, quick, Will'm! Back down to the deck o' our craft. Let's make all speed, and cast off from the karkiss o' the whale. There be time enough yet; and then it'll be, who's got the heels. Don't be so bad skeeart, Snowy. The ole Catamaran be a trim craft.
Den it muss ha' been, ha! maybe it war a mermaid!" "What I saw looked like a boy, Snowball. O, now I think of it, like that boy." "What boy you 'peak 'bout?" "He who was aboard the ship, the English boy who was one of the sailors." "Ah! you mean de little Will'm, I 'pose. I reck'n dat 'ere lad hab gone to de bott'm ob de sea long afore dis, or else he get off on de big raff.
Whether right or no, the simple-minded seaman recognised in this seasonable supply of provision the hand of an overruling Providence; and without further question, attributed it to the potency of that prayer twice repeated. "Yes, Will'm, you see it, my lad, 'tis the answer to that wonderful prayer. Let's go over it once more, by way o' givin' thanks.
"No," responded Snowball, "lying on de water like a log o' 'hogany wood. Han't move a mile ebba since de bustin' ob de powder ball." "Keep your place then. We've got oars. We'll row down to you." "We you say we? You got some'dy sides yaself on dat raff?" "Little Will'm." "Lilly Willum, ah? dat ere brave lilly lad. See 'im jess as I go down in de cabin fo' get de pickaninny.
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