apparently frozen stiff where he was clinging. In a few minutes I heard
the sound of oars, and then they stopped; the boat came quietly
alongside, that they might not by the shock throw us off into the water;
they dragged us both in, and took us on board, poured a glass of brandy
down our throats, stripped off our frozen clothes, chafed our limbs, and
put us between the hot blankets which they had just left. As soon as I
was in bed the mate made me drink a tumbler of hot grog, and left me. I
soon fell into a deep sleep, long before they had ceased their attempts
to restore vitality to my companion, which at last they did. When I
awoke the next morning I was quite well, and the waterman was also
recovering, although not able to leave his hammock. The mate who had had
the watch and had saved us, told me that the wherry was safe on board,
and, as the ship was bound up the river, that we had better remain where
we were. I narrated our accident; and my clothes having been dried at
the caboose, I dressed myself and went on deck. My companion, the
waterman, did not escape so well; his foot was frostbitten, and he lost
four of his toes before he recovered. It was singular that he, who was a
man grown up, should suffer so much more than I did. I cannot account
for it, except that my habit of always being in the water had hardened
me more to the cold. We remained on board two days, during which we were
treated with great kindness.

It was a fine bright morning, when, as the ship was passing the
hospital, we shoved the wherry off, and landed at the steps; and when we
jumped out we were greeted by all who were standing there. We had very
naturally been given up for lost. They supposed that we had perished in
the snowstorm. Old Ben was among those who were standing at the steps,
and he walked up with me toward my mother's house.

"I did go to the old woman and break the matter to her in a becoming