two hundred and fifty dollars.
Until then, there is no need for us to quarrel; so fill up your glass,
Francois, and let us drink to the health of the dear Courtenay, who,
after all, was quite worth picking up off the raft, don't you think?"

Then followed a gurgling sound as the two topers filled their glasses.
A gulping and smacking of lips, succeeded by a banging of the empty
tumblers upon the table, came clearly to me through the latticed upper
panel of my door; and then certain staggering sounds, as the two
struggled to their feet, were followed by Lemaitre thickly bidding his
companion good-night, as the pair reeled and stumbled away to their
respective berths.

I slept badly that night, the fever, with the intelligence I had just
acquired, combining to make me restless and wakeful; but after tossing
from side to side, until about two bells in the morning watch, I
gradually sank into a troubled sleep, from which I was startled by a
sudden outbreak of loud, excited shouts, succeeded by a sound of fierce
scuffling, accompanied by a volley of oaths and exclamations, the stamp
of feet, a heavy fall, a rush of footsteps up the companion ladder, and
a sudden, heavy splash alongside. Then followed a terrific outcry on
deck, with the hurrying rush of feet on the planking overhead, the
furious slatting of canvas as the schooner shot into the wind, more
excited shouts, ending in a sort of groaning mingled with ejaculations
of dismay, a sudden silence, and then a terrific jabbering, suggestive
of the idea that all hands had incontinently taken leave of their
senses.

I sprang out of my bunk and hurriedly proceeded to dress, rushing on
deck bare-footed to see what was the matter; and as I emerged from the
companion-way I saw all hands gathered aft, most of them staring hard
over the taffrail, while one man was busily engaged in binding up the
left arm of the second mate.

"Hillo, Monsieur Charpentier!" I exclaimed, "what is the matter? Has
anything happened?"

"Happened, monsieur? I should think so!" exclaimed the second mate,
turning to me a white and ghastly face; "a most awful thing has
happened. When I went below just now to call Francois I was unable to
make him hear, although I called several times and knocked ever so hard
at his door. So I ventured to turn the door handle and enter his cabin,
and what do you think I saw, monsieur? Why, poor Francois lying dead in
his bunk, his clothes soaked with blood, an