There was no answer, and the captain, who was seeing things clearer and
clearer in the growing light, got paler and paler.

"I must be going crazy," he muttered. "Is this the SMILING JANE, or am I
dreaming?"

"It ain't the SMILING JANE," said one of the seamen; "leastways," he
added cautiously, "it wasn't when I came aboard."

"Not the SMILING JANE!" roared the skipper; "what is it, then?"

"Why, the MARY ANN," chorused the astonished crew.

"My lads," faltered the agonised captain after a long pause. "My lads--"
He stopped and swallowed something in his throat. "I've been and
brought away the wrong ship," he continued with an effort; "that's what
I've done. I must have been bewitched."

"Well, who's having the little game now?" inquired a voice.

"Somebody else'll be sacked as well as the mate," said another.

"We must take her back," said the captain, raising his voice to drown
these mutterings. "Stand by there!"

The bewildered crew went to their posts, the captain gave his orders in
a voice which had never been so subdued and mellow since it broke at the
age of fourteen, and the Mary Ann took in sail, and, dropping her
anchor, waited patiently for the turning of the tide.