eply painful and touching to witness. She little knew,
poor child, that that portion of bread and meat and water, small though
it was, was larger than that issued to the men, being increased by a
small quantity deducted from the captain's own allowance and an equal
amount from that of Glynn. The latter had noticed the captain's habit
of regularly calling off the child's attention during the distribution
of each meal, for the purpose of thus increasing her portion at the
expense of his own, and in a whispering conversation held soon after he
insisted that a little of his allowance should also be transferred to
her. At first the captain firmly refused, but Glynn said that if he did
not accede to his wish he would hand over the whole of his portion in
future to the monkey, let the result be what it might! As Glynn never
threatened without a full and firm resolve to carry out his threats, the
captain was compelled to give in.

When the water came to be served out that morning the captain paused,
and looking round at the anxious eyes that were riveted upon him, said--

"My lads, it has pleased the Almighty to lay His hand still heavier on
us. May He who has said that He will not suffer men to be tempted above
what they are able to bear, give us strength to stand it. Our water is
almost done. We must be content with a quarter of our usual allowance."

This information was received in deep silence--perhaps it was the
silence of despair, for the quantity hitherto served out had been barely
sufficient to moisten their parched throats, and they _knew_ that they
could not exist long on the reduced allowance.

Jacko came with the rest as usual for his share, and held out his little
hand for the tin cup in which his few drops of water were wont to be
handed to him. The captain hesitated and looked at the men; then he
poured out a few drops of the precious liquid. For the first time a
murmur of disapproval was heard.

"It's only a brute beast; the monkey must die before _us_," said a voice
which was so hollow and changed that it could scarcely be recognised as
that of Tarquin, the steward.

No one else said a word. The captain did not even look up to see who
had spoken. He felt the justice as well as the harshness of the remark,
and poured the water back into the jar.

Jacko seems puzzled at first, and held out his hand again; then he
looked round on the men with that expression of unutterable woe which is
peculiar