Eliph' Hewlitt opened the book and flipped over the pages rapidly with the moistened tip of his third finger.
"It was this book, ladies and gents, and it was open here, page 742.
Without thinking, I read the first thing that hit my eye.

'How to Make a Life Preserver,' it said.

'Take the corks from a hundred champagne bottles; tie them tightly in a common shirt; then fasten the arms of the shirt about the body, with the corks resting on the chest.

With this easily improvised life preserver drowning is impossible.' I done it.

The captain of that ship was a high liver, and his room was chuck full of champagne bottles.