he lowered
hers, took out her handkerchief and, bowing over, buried her face in it,
crying as though her heart would break.

XVII

"If you'll pass the pannikin, I'll take a drink, sir," said Jenks, after
the sun had risen and warmed the chilly air of the southern ocean.

I tossed the old man-o'-war's man the measure, and he proceeded to draw a
cupful from the water breaker, which was full and lay amidships.

"It's an uncommon quare taste the stuff has, sure enough," said he, after
he had laid aside his quid and drank a mouthful, "Try a bit, Tom," he
went on, and passed the pannikin to a sailor next him.

"You're always lookin' fer trouble, old man," said the sailor, draining
off the cupful.

"An' bloomin' well ready to get out of it by any way he can," added
another. "Fill her up agin an' let me have some. This sun is most hot, in
spite of the breeze. Blast me, Jenks, but you're a suspicious one. It's a
wonder you ever go to sleep."

The young sailor, Tom, put down the cup and watched Jenks draw it full
again. Then he grew pale.

"Hold on a bit with that water, you men. There's something wrong with
it," he said. He gulped and placed his hand over his abdomen, while a
spasm of pain passed over his features.

"My God!" he muttered, and doubled up. Then he vomited violently and his
spasms increased.

I saw Chips turn white under his tan, and Johnson look with staring eyes
at the water breaker, as though it were a ghost.

"Knock in the head," I said, "and let's see what's inside of it."

Two men held the poor fellow gasping over the rail while his agony grew
worse. The rest crowded around aft as much as possible to see what
terrible fate was in store for us.

The breaker was upended in a moment. Jenks stove in the head with an oar
handle, and we peered inside.

The water was a clear crystal, like that in the _Sovereign's_ tanks. It
was not discolored in the least.

"Pass the bailer here," I said; "and then turn the barrel so we can get
the sunlight into it."

I bailed out a few quarts, looked at it carefully, tasted it slightly,
and then put it carefully back again. I noticed a strange acrid taste.
The barrel was turned toward the sun, and its light was allowed to shine
straight into its depths. I put my head down close to the surface and
peered hard at the bottom. Then I was aware of a whitish powder which
showed against the dark wood. Reaching down, some of this was brought up;
and then I reco