"He was a pleasant, affable man, and that awful
night when I found myself standing beside him on the passenger
deck, helping to put the women into the boats, I
spoke to him.

" `Where is your life-belt?' I asked him.

" `I didn't think there would be any need of it,' he said.

" `Get one while there is time,' I told him. `The last boat
is gone, and we are done for.'

" `No,' he said, `I think there are some life-boats to be
launched, and we may get on one of them.'

" `There are no life-rafts,' I told him, `and the ship is going
to sink. I am going to jump overboard and take a chance
on swimming out and being picked up by one of the boats.
Better come along.'

" `No, thank you,' he said, calmly, `I think I'll have to
stick.'

"I asked him if he would mind shaking hands with me.
He said, `With pleasure,' gave me a hearty grip, and then I
climbed up on the rail and jumped overboard. I was in the
water nearly four hours before one of the boats picked me up."


CAPTAIN WASHED OVERBOARD