ected the second
mate, who was rather kinder-hearted than the first, to take charge of
her, and to carry her into Guernsey. All things being arranged, the
captain, leaving a prize-crew aboard the brig, returned to the schooner,
and I accompanied him. The surgeon met us as we stepped aboard. The
captain asked for the old governor.

"Why, I suspect he will slip through our fingers. I have no power to
keep him," answered the surgeon.

"We must do what we can for the old man," observed the captain, with
more feeling than I thought he possessed. "For his daughter's sake, I
hope he won't die. What can she do, left alone in the world? Williams,
you seem to understand the sort of thing, go in and see what you can
do."

I obeyed the order gladly. I entered the cabin. Already was the poor
girl left alone in the world. Her father's corpse lay on the sofa, and
she had fallen in a swoon across it.

I did not go and call the surgeon. I knew that he did not feel for her,
and could not help her. So, lifting her gently up, I removed the
corpse, which I covered with a flag, and placed her on the sofa instead.
I then got water and sprinkled it on her face, and bathed her temples.
The captain came in, and found me thus engaged.

"Where's the old man?" he exclaimed, looking astonished.

I pointed to the flag. He lifted it up.

"What! dead!" he said. "Poor, poor thing!" I don't know if at that
moment the thought of the amount of misery of which we had been the
cause flashed across his mind. It did across mine.

Often have I since thought, what an accursed trade is that of a
privateer's-man. Licensed pirates at best; and often, as they perform
their work, no better than the worst of pirates.

"What's to be done?" he continued, talking to himself. "I cannot stand
the girl's sorrow. We must get the body out of the way, at all events."

He stopped, and shaded his eyes with his hand. He had a family at home.
Among them a daughter--tall and graceful, like that poor girl.
"Williams," he said abruptly, "call the surgeon."

When Blister came, he told him to ascertain if the old man were really
dead. He stooped down, and lifting the flag, examined the body.

"Yes," he answered, in a perfectly satisfied tone. "I said he would
die. There's no doubt about it." I believe he would have been vexed
had he recovered to contradict him.

"We must bury him, then," said the captain. "We'll do it decently. He
was a fine ol