ength
on which to draw when the food utterly ceased, and we grew weaker with
great rapidity.

On February twenty-fourth we calmly talked the situation over. We were
three stout-spirited men, full of life and toughness, and we did not want
to die. No one of us would volunteer to sacrifice himself for the other
two. But we agreed on three things: we must have food; we must decide
the matter by casting lots; and we would cast the lots next morning if
there were no wind.

Next morning there was wind, not much of it, but fair, so that we were
able to log a sluggish two knots on our northerly course. The mornings
of the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh found us with a similar breeze. We
were fearfully weak, but we abided by our decision and continued to sail.

But with the morning of the twenty-eighth we knew the time was come. The
longboat rolled drearily on an empty, windless sea, and the stagnant,
overcast sky gave no promise of any breeze. I cut three pieces of cloth,
all of a size, from my jacket. In the ravel of one of these pieces was a
bit of brown thread. Whoever drew this lost. I then put the three lots
into my hat, covering it with Captain Nicholl's hat.

All was ready, but we delayed for a time while each prayed silently and
long, for we knew that we were leaving the decision to God. I was not
unaware of my own honesty and worth; but I was equally aware of the
honesty and worth of my companions, so that it perplexed me how God could
decide so fine-balanced and delicate a matter.

The captain, as was his right and due, drew first. After his hand was in
the hat he delayed for sometime with closed eyes, his lips moving a last
prayer. And he drew a blank. This was right--a true decision I could
not but admit to myself; for Captain Nicholl's life was largely known to
me and I knew him to be honest, upright, and God-fearing.

Remained the surgeon and me. It was one or the other, and, according to
ship's rating, it was his due to draw next. Again we prayed. As I
prayed I strove to quest back in my life and cast a hurried tally-sheet
of my own worth and unworth.

I held the hat on my knees with Captain Nicholl's hat over it. The
surgeon thrust in his hand and fumbled about for some time, while I
wondered whether the feel of that one brown thread could be detected from
the rest of the ravel.

At last he withdrew his hand. The brown thread was in his piece of
cloth. I was instantly very humble an