she will watch and wait
in vain. Oh, Colley, do you think God is very angry, and that this is
my punishment--to die out here, with no one to care, no one to----"
Jack broke down, and hid his face on his sleeveless arms, for his blue
jersey was fluttering in the morning breeze.

"Boy," Colley said, "it is just this: You wanted your own way, and you
were let to take it. You have made your own punishment; but as to
God's anger--well, if you turn your heart to Him in Christ's name, He
won't send you empty away. He will speak peace for His dear Son's
sake, whether He lets you go back to you poor mother, or whether He
takes you through the Valley of Death to His kingdom in heaven."

"Colley," Jack said vehemently, "I don't want to die. I want to live,
and show my mother I am sorry."

"We can't choose, boy, we can't choose; and we are just in God's hands,
and must be quiet."

But, oh! through that long day of heat and oppression it was hard to be
quiet. The poor child moaned, and was rapidly becoming insensible.
Jack's lips were so sore and chapped he could not bite the hard
biscuit; and though Colley soaked his in a few drops of rum, he felt
sick at the smell and taste of the spirits, and when offered a morsel,
he turned away, saying--

"It reminds me of Skinner. I hate the smell."

The great waste of waters, of varied opal hues, in the clear depths of
which the forms of many sea creatures could be seen darting hither and
thither--how desolate it was!

Above, snowy gulls flew and floated now and again on the waves. One
came so near that Colley seized it and took it into the boat. It
looked up with wondering eyes, and Colley said--

"You poor stupid thing! You have come to your death;" and then he
wrung the bird's neck, saying, "If the worst comes to the worst, we
must eat it raw."

"I would sooner die," Jack said wearily. "I begin to wish to die,
Colley. Yesterday I wanted to live, but I don't feel to care now, and
I believe that poor little darling is going."

"Help me to lift him up--lift him up," Colley said; and between them,
feeble as they both were, the old man and the boy, they managed to get
the poor child's head to rest on Colley's knees.

Towards evening the child opened his eyes. "Mother," he said, "I'm
coming." Then he smiled, and Jack said, "He is better."

But Colley shook his head. "No; but he will be better soon;" and then
he said a few words of prayer, and bid Jack think of some