It was a joyful meeting, too, and a jolly one to boot, for O'Riley was there, and Peter Grim, and Amos Parr, and David Mizzle, and Mivins--in short, the entire crew of the lost _Dolphin_--captain, mates, surgeon, and all.

Fred and his father were also there, and old Mr.Singleton, and a number of other friends, so that all the rooms in the house had to be thrown open, and even then Mrs.Buzzby had barely room to move.

It was on this occasion that Buzzby related to his shipmates how Mrs.Ellice had escaped from drowning on the night they were attacked by pirates on board the West Indiaman.

He took occasion to relate the circumstances just before the "people from the house" arrived, and as the reader may perhaps prefer Buzzby's account to ours, we give it as it was delivered.
"You see, it happened this way," began Buzzby.
"Hand us a coal, Buzzby, to light my pipe, before ye begin," said Peter Grim.
"Ah! then, howld yer tongue, Blunderbore," cried O'Riley, handing the glowing coal demanded, with as much nonchalance as if his fingers were made of cast-iron.
"Well, ye see," resumed Buzzby, "when poor Mrs.Ellice wos pitched overboard, as I seed her with my own two eyes--" "Stop, Buzzby," said Mivins; "'ow was 'er 'ead at the time ?" "Shut up, Mivins," cried several of the men; "go on, Buzzby." "Well, I think her '_ead_ wos sou'-west, if it warn't nor'-east.

Anyhow it wos pintin' somewhere or other round the compass.