he
answered crisply. Then, turning to his daughters, "I'll send you your
ulsters and life-preservers--and Texas; but let the trinkets go. They
only weight one down, and they look pretty small to-night! You'll take
to the boats if the rest do, and then I'll give you my papers."
"Why give them to us, papa?" asked Hope, innocently.
He looked at her with a strange expression, but did not answer.
Instead, he turned to an officer who had entered and, after one glance,
said quickly,
"Yes, I'm coming. Don't speak!" and hurried after him, but as he
passed Carnegie a look passed between them, and the young officer at
once arose and followed him outside.
Hope turned to her sister, white to the lips.
"What did he mean, Faith? Why are we to take those papers?"
"I don't understand--exactly."
"But you think--"
"I think he means to stay by his ship."
Faith spoke low and tremulously.
"To the death?" whispered Hope in awe-stricken accents.
"Yes."
They gazed into each other's eyes, and drew closer. Hope clutched
Faith's hand, and the complaining monkey gave a last babyish little
cry, and snuggled down in the warmth of their nestling forms, his
sorrows quickly forgotten in slumber. He was safe so long as his
mistress held him. Suddenly a thought came to Faith. She looked down
at the mite, then upwards, and her eyes were like radiant stars in her
pale young face.
"See!" she said, "he feels safe with me, and does not mind the storm;
father feels safe with his ship; you and I with our father, and all of
us with God. It is a chain of safety. Let's give up worrying and stay
by papa, trusting in Jesus. If it is best to save us, He will do so;
if not, we will go to sleep just this way--together, and in His arms!"
"Yes," assented Hope softly, pressing lovingly to the side of her twin.
"Yes, all together, and in His arms!"
So mischievous Andy redeemed his naughtiness by teaching a timely
lesson of peaceful trust.
CHAPTER XVII.
LADY MOREHAM SPEAKS.
Tegeloo brought Texas, with the ulsters, and told how he had found the
bird cowering in its battered cage, which had been tossed headlong into
the middle of the cabin, where it, fortunately, lodged between the
bedsteads, being wedged in so closely as to escape further harm. The
poor parrot looked sick enough, and was so subdued he came at once to
Hope's wrist, with none of his usual feints and caprices, nestling up
to her in a satisfied manner,
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