red, and expired. I will not attempt to describe the feelings
with which we gazed upon the body of our unfortunate shipmate, and
thought how soon a still more dreadful doom might be ours. Death, with
all its horrid accompaniments of starvation, drowning, &c., came
before us. All the horrible stories we had heard of deaths at sea, of
misery, hunger, and cannibalism, came crowding upon our memories. At
last the silence was broken by Riley, who growled out--

"Well, there's one more going to feed the fishes! It'll be our turn
soon. However, its some comfort he has left his share of the grub
behind: there'll be more for those who remain."

I could hardly restrain my anger at this cold-blooded speech; but a
look from Emily Neville checked me. Riley, however, observed the
impression his words had made upon me, and, with a diabolical sneer,
said--

"You need not look so black about it. I don't care a button about your
looks or your anger either. One man's as good as another now, and I
won't obey you any longer."

"Riley," said I, starting forward, and seizing him by the collar,
while my voice trembled with suppressed passion, "mark my words! As
long as one plank of this boat hangs to another, I am your officer;
and while I have life in my body, you _shall_ obey me."

The scoundrel was staggered by my firmness, and sat gloomily down upon
the "thwart." Riley had been one of our _black sheep_ on board the
Anne. I never liked the fellow. He was always a skulking,
discontented, vagabond; ever foremost in mischief, and striving to
make his shipmates as mutinous as himself. I saw, by his louring
looks, and his sullen, dogged manner, that we must, before long, come
into collision again, and I determined to prepare for the worst. I
threw all the fire-arms overboard, except a single musket and a brace
of pistols, the latter of which I loaded deliberately before his
eyes.

"Come," said I, "the sun is long past the meridian, we must pipe to
dinner. Miss Neville, serve out our allowance, if you please."

While Riley received his modicum of spirits, he growled out, "Here's a
pretty allowance for a hard-working man. Not a stroke more will I put
till I get more rum."

"Not a drop more shall you have till the regular time; you must be
contented with just enough to keep soul and body together, like your
neighbours; we must not all be sacrificed to gratify your greediness."

"Better die at once," said he, "than starve by inches; a sho