nd, for his position, fairly
well educated. Both his parents were dead, and he and his brother Ned,
and a delicate sister of nineteen, were the sole survivors of a once
numerous family. The care of this sister was the one motive that
animated the elder brother in his adventurous career; and while his
reserved and morose nature seemed incapable of yielding to any tender
sentiment or emotion, it yet concealed a wealth of the deepest affection
for his weakly sister, of which the younger one had no conception.
And yet, strangely enough, it was to Ned that Nellie Rodman was most
attached; it was to _his_ return that she most looked forward, never
knowing that it was Gerald's money alone that maintained the old family
home in the quiet little New England village in which her simple life
was spent. Little did she think that when money was sent to her by
Gerald, saying it came "from Ned and myself," that Ned had never had a
dollar to send. For he was too careless and too fond of his own pleasure
to ever think of sending her money. "Jerry," he thought, "was a mighty
stingy fellow, and never spent a cent on himself--and could easily send
Nell all she wanted." And yet Gerald Rodman, knowing his brother's weak
and mercurial nature, and knowing that he took no care in the welfare
of any living soul but himself, would have laid his life down for him,
because happy, careless Ned had Nellie's eyes and Nellie's mouth, and in
the tones of his voice he heard hers. So as he sat on the deck, with
his brother's head upon his knees, he swore to "get even" with Martin
Newman, as well as with Captain Lucy and cooper Burr, for as he watched
the pale face of the lad it seemed to him to grow strangely like that of
his far-off sister.

He had just completed sewing up the gaping wound in his brother's
temple, when the cooper came up to the group:

"Here, lay along, you fellows; the carpenter has finished Mr. Newman's
boat, and some of you loafing 'soldiers' have to man her and help Mr.
Brant to tow his whale alongside. Leave that man there, and look spry,
or you'll feel mighty sorry."

III.

As the cooper turned away the younger Rodman, assisted by his brother,
staggered to his feet. The fall from the poop had, in addition to the
cut in his temple, severely injured his right knee, and he begged his
brother to let him lie down again.

"Yes, yes," whispered Gerald Rodman, hurriedly; "lie down, Ned," and
then the lad heard him speaking to W