I ordered him to drop it, and fetch me a
musket, which he did. By this time I could see that the man in the
boat was unarmed, so I put up the musket at the 'present,' got the
sight on him, and called out to know his business.
"The man jerked the cockboat round with her stern to the schooner--
these boats come right-about with a single twist--and says he, very
politely lifting his hat, 'You'll pardon me, ma'am, but (as you see)
I have borrowed your young friend's boat. My own was not handy, and
this seemed the quickest way to pay my respects.' 'Indeed?' said I,
'and who may you be?' 'My name, ma'am,' said he, 'is Beauregard--Dr.
Beauregard.' 'I never heard of you,' said I. 'That, ma'am, is
entirely my misfortune,' said he, lifting his hat again; 'but allow
me to say that I am the proprietor of this island, and very much at
your service.'
"Well, this was a facer. It never occurred to any of us--eh?--that
this island might have an owner. To tell the truth, I'm a stickler
for the rights of property, at home; but somehow the notion of an
island like this belonging to any one had never entered my head.
Yet the thing is reasonable enough when you come to think it over;
and, of course, I saw that it put an entirely different complexion
upon our business here.
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