"Good heavens!" exclaimed the skipper, stopping short and staring at me as though he had seen a ghost--"is it possible?  It can't be--and yet, by Jove, it _is_--Mr Fortescue!  Welcome back to the _Eros_, Mr Fortescue; I am delighted to see you again.  But where on earth have you sprung from?  From that fine brigantine that has just come in, I imagine, since I see that the boat which brought you is returning to her; but I mean before that.  You look as though you have been having a pretty rough time of it lately.  And what of the _Dolphin_ and her crew? We gave you all up for lost, long ago."