d very grateful for God's blessing
thus extended to me; and I resolved to keep more faithfully than ever all
of His commandments. The next moment I could not help but feel that the
surgeon and the captain were pledged to each other by closer ties of
position and intercourse than with me, and that they were in a measure
disappointed with the outcome. And close with that thought ran the
conviction that they were such true men that the outcome would not
interfere with the plan arranged.

I was right. The surgeon bared arm and knife and prepared to open a
great vein. First, however, he spoke a few words.

"I am a native of Norfolk in the Virginias," he said, "where I expect I
have now a wife and three children living. The only favour that I have
to request of you is, that should it please God to deliver either of you
from your perilous situation, and should you be so fortunate as to reach
once more your native country, that you would acquaint my unfortunate
family with my wretched fate."

Next he requested courteously of us a few minutes in which to arrange his
affairs with God. Neither Captain Nicholl nor I could utter a word, but
with streaming eyes we nodded our consent.

Without doubt Arnold Bentham was the best collected of the three of us.
My own anguish was prodigious, and I am confident that Captain Nicholl
suffered equally. But what was one to do? The thing was fair and proper
and had been decided by God.

But when Arnold Bentham had completed his last arrangements and made
ready to do the act, I could contain myself no longer, and cried out:

"Wait! We who have endured so much surely can endure a little more. It
is now mid-morning. Let us wait until twilight. Then, if no event has
appeared to change our dreadful destiny, do you Arnold Bentham, do as we
have agreed."

He looked to Captain Nicholl for confirmation of my suggestion, and
Captain Nicholl could only nod. He could utter no word, but in his moist
and frosty blue eyes was a wealth of acknowledgment I could not misread.

I did not, I could not, deem it a crime, having so determined by fair
drawing of lots, that Captain Nicholl and myself should profit by the
death of Arnold Bentham. I could not believe that the love of life that
actuated us had been implanted in our breasts by aught other than God. It
was God's will, and we His poor creatures could only obey and fulfil His
will. And yet, God was kind. In His all-kindness He saved us