"I trying to get on a ship," she said. "I got no money, no job. I want to go home to my mama, my papa in Buenos Aires."

"Listen," the sailor said. "I can help you. My ship is sailing tonight. She'll be picking up cargo at quite a few places en route, but in three weeks she'll be in Buenos Aires. I can hide you in a lifeboat."

To the poor homeless girl this seemed like a heaven-sent offer, and she allowed the sailor to smuggle her on board and conceal her under a tarpaulin in one of the lifeboats. A few hours later, the ship sailed.

Every night the sailor brought food and water to the stowaway, together with a report on their progress from port to port. After a week, their friendship ripened to romance, and thereafter the sailor spent his nights in the lifeboat. Then one morning, a seaman noticed the untied tarpaulin on the lifeboat and in the process of fastening it, discovered the frightened girl. He took her up to the bridge where she poured out her story to the captain.

"Disgraceful!" said the captain. "What a scoundrel! You must tell me the bounder's name."

"He's no bounder," protested the girl. "He no scoundrel. He nice man, kind. He taking me home."

"Madam," the captain told her. "You are on the Isle of Man ferry."