"It is a bad night's vork," he said to the bos'n at the tiller. "I haf lost my ship, and I may never get anudder. I haf lost all my money, and I vill not get him again, for I am too old. But I hope I haf safed all my peoples, and if dot is so, I tank Gott."
Before day came their rockets were answered, and a big steamer loafed sluggishly toward the clustered life-boats. When she hove to, it was apparent that she had been in collision. Her bows were jumbled back to her fore bulkhead, and it seemed a miracle that she had been kept afloat.
"It is the svine vat runned into us," said the captain, "and den runned avay. I vish a few vords mit her skipper."
When the crew of the _Wasdale_, scrambling up the Jacob's ladders, had hoisted the bruised and benumbed passengers aboard, the crippled vessel limped on her course toward Liverpool. She was an Italian tramp, inbound from South American ports, and her captain had a taste of regions even more torrid when interviewed on his bridge by the late commander of the _Wasdale_, who returned aft to find his people vainly trying to find shelter from the cold.
"Why aren't dose poor miserable vimmen in the cabins?" he asked.
"The cabins are all locked, sir," replied one of the men, "and the Dago cook won't let us in the galley to get something to eat."
"Break open the cabin doors, and pitch the Eyetalian swab out on his dirty head, and cook whatefer you find in this schow," was the order, and these things were done on the instant. Coffee and hash were made by the _Wasdale's_ cooks, and passed by the _Wasdale's_ stewards, and the invaded cabins ransacked for whatever blankets and clothing might serve to warm the pitiable castaways.
A little later the crew of the _Wasdale_ was mustered for roll call. Each department rallied to its chief. As down the lines of shivering men the "Here, sir," ran without a gap, the captain found himself choking back the tears, for at the same time the purser made tally of the cabin and steerage passengers, and found all present, even to the silent figure under a tarpaulin of the man who had slain himself.
The crew cheered, and the chief engineer stepped forward and began:
"Beg pardon, captain, but when we remember the _Elbe_ and the _Bourgogne_, we have a right to think----"