lace, they
invariably kept out of the way. Sometimes they passed among whole
fleets of tiny fishing-boats, to be counted by thousands, like shoals of
fishes, themselves engaged in procuring food for the teeming multitudes
on shore, and giving an idea of the vast numbers of the finny tribes
which inhabit those seas. Frequently, too, there glided by one of those
roguish, rakish, wicked-looking craft--an opium clipper, fleet as the
sporting dolphin, and armed to the teeth, for she has foes on every
side; the pirates long to make her their prey, and the mandarin junks
ought to do so, but dare not.

For several hours the frigate and the brig lay becalmed close together.
Alick and Terence went to pay Jack a visit. While they were on board
the surgeon sent to tell Jack that Pigeon was very much worse, and
desired to see him. Jack hurried into the cabin where he lay; when he
heard that his other two old schoolfellows were on board, he begged to
see them also. They saw that the stamp of death was already on his
countenance.

"I am glad you are come," he said in a very faint voice, trying to lift
himself up. "I wish to tell you that I have at last discovered that I
have lived a life of folly. I thought myself very clever and very wise,
but I now know that I was an arrant fool. I have often said things
which might have done you a great deal of harm, but my earnest prayer is
that you did not listen to them. What I wish you to do is to point to
me, and to guide all your friends or acquaintances against the horrible
doctrines which I took up. They only brought me pain and suffering from
the first, and wellnigh destroyed my soul at the last; indeed, I feel
that it is only through God's grace and mercy that I have been
preserved."

The three friends endeavoured to assure the poor dying man that his
pernicious doctrines had in no way made any permanent impression on
them, though Terence owned that he had often thought over what he had
said, and that it had for some time raised all sorts of painful doubts
in his mind which he could not get rid of. Their assurance seemed alone
to bring him any satisfaction. The interview was short, for he was very
weak, and that evening he died. His schoolfellows felt somewhat graver
than usual for a short time; but as he had never gained their love they
could not pretend to regret him.

Shortly after this they fell in with the admiral, and the whole fleet
sailed to the southward. Once