awakened by the stopping of the ship, were
up, hurriedly dressed, and enquiring what the trouble was. Chester met
Elder Malby in the companion-way.

"What's the matter?" asked the Elder.

"A man has been lost at sea," replied the other. "Come into the saloon,
and I'll tell you about it."

Chester was visibly affected as he related what he had seen. At the
conclusion of his story he bowed his face into his hands for a moment.
Then he looked into the Elder's face with a smile.

"Well, it's too bad, too bad," said George Malby.

"Do you think so?"

"Well--why--isn't it a terrible thing to die like that?"

"I hope not," replied Chester. "I think the dying part was easy enough,
and the manner of it was glorious. He was a poor fellow who had failed
to land. He had no doubt thought to make fame and fortune in the new
world. Now he has gone to a new world indeed. He entered it
triumphantly, I hope. As far as I know, he ought to be received as a
hero in that world to which he has gone."

Chester's eyes shone and his face was aglow. "Elder Malby," he
continued, "I remember what you told me just yesterday,--To our immortal
soul, nothing that others can do, matters much; a man's own actions is
what counts. Neither does it matter much when or how a man leaves this
life; the vital thing is what he has done and how he has done it up to
the point of departure. The Lord will take care of the rest."

As the two men went slowly along the narrow passage way to their state
rooms that night, the older man said to the other, "I guess you're
right, my brother; yes; you are right. Good night, and pleasant sleep."

CHAPTER II.

The next morning the sky was clear and the sea was much smoother. The
sun shone bright and warm; more people came on deck, rejoicing that they
could live in the vigor of the open rather than in their stuffy state
rooms. The two seasick elders thought it wiser to remain quietly in
their berths for another day, so Chester and Elder Malby had the day to
themselves. As the accident of the night before became known to the
passengers, it was the topic of conversation for some time.

That afternoon Chester and his companion found a cosy corner on deck
away from the cigar smoke, and had a long heart to heart talk. The fact
of the matter was that the young man found comfort in the society of his
older brother. For the first time in nearly two years Chester could pour
out his heart to sympathetic ears, and he