r,"
said the captain. "That's my idea. I never was for working till I
couldn't enjoy."

"What are we after? do you think--" said Eleanor looking round at him.

"What everybody else is!" the captain answered somewhat shortly.

"Luxury, namely?"

"Yes! it comes to that. Everybody is seeking happiness in his own way;
and when he has got it, then it is luxury."

Eleanor only looked at him; she did not say anything further, and
turned again to the contemplation of the scene they had in view. The
captain bustled off and was gone a few minutes.

"I wish you'd sing, sister Powle," said Mr. Amos in that interval.

"Do!" said his wife. "Please do!"

Whether Eleanor was precisely in a singing mood or no, she began as
desired. Mr. Amos joined her, in somewhat subdued tones, and Mrs. Amos
gave a still gentler seconding; while the rich notes of her own voice
filled the air; so mellow that their full power was scarcely
recognized; so powerful that the mellow sound seemed to fill the ship's
rigging. The sailors moved softly. They were accustomed to that music.
All the way out, on every Sunday service or any other that was held,
Eleanor had served for choir to the whole company, joined by here and
there a rough voice that broke in as it could, and just backed by Mr.
Amos's steady support. There was more than one in that ship's company
to whom memory would never cease to bring a reminder that 'there is
balm in Gilead;' for some reason or other that was one of Eleanor's
favourite songs. Now she gave another--sweet, clear, and wild;--the
furthest-off sailors stood still to hearken. They had heard it often
enough to know what the words were.

"O who's like Jesus! From sins and fears he frees us. He died for you,
He died for me, He died to set poor sinners free. O who's like Jesus!"

The chorus floated all over after each verse of the hymn was ended; it
went clear to the ship's bows; but Eleanor sat quite still in her old
position, clasping her hands fast on the rail and not moving her head.
During the singing the captain came back and stood behind them
listening; while people on the vessels that they passed, suspended
their work and looked up to hear. Just as the singing was finished, a
little boat was seen swiftly coming alongside; and in another minute
they were boarded by the gentleman who had been its solitary passenger.
The captain turned to meet him. He was a man rather under middle size,
black hair curling all round h