n his
spirit, causing his eyelids to blink despite his utmost efforts to keep
them open. Presently he saw Graddy draw the right oar quietly into the
boat, without ceasing to row with the left one, and slowly draw the
knife which hung at his belt.

The boy tried to shout and arouse his father, but he was paralysed with
horror. His blood seemed to curdle in his veins. No sound would issue
from his lips, neither could he move hand or foot while the cold glassy
eye of the captain rested on him.

Suddenly Graddy sprang up, and Billy's voice found vent in a shrill cry.
At the same moment Stephen Gaff awoke, and instinctively his hand
grasped the tiller. He had no time to rise, but with the same force
that drew the tiller from its socket in the helm he brought it forward
with crashing violence on the forehead of Graddy, who was stooping to
plunge the knife into his breast. He staggered beneath the blow.
Before he could recover himself it was repeated, and he fell heavily
back into the bottom of the boat.

"Thank the Lord," murmured Gaff, as he leaned over his fallen foe, "the
villain's hand has bin stopped short this time. Come, Billy, help me to
lift him up."

Gaff's blows had been delivered with such vigour that Graddy's head was
much damaged, and it was a long time before the two could get him
restored sufficiently to sit up. At length, however, he roused himself
and looked with a bewildered air at the sun, which had just risen in a
flood of golden light. Presently his eyes fell on Gaff, and a dark
scowl covered his face, but being, or pretending to be unable to
continue long in a sitting posture, he muttered that he would lie down
and rest in the bow of the boat. He got up and staggered to the spot,
where he lay down and soon fell fast asleep.

"Now, Billy lad, we'll let him rest, an' I'll take the oars. You will
lie down and sleep, for you've much need of it, my poor boy, and while
I'm pullin' I'll consider what's best for to be done in the
circumstances."

"Better let me take one o' the oars, daddy. I'm wide-awake now, and not
a bit tired."

"No, boy, no. Lay down. The next time I require to sleep I must have
you in a more wakeful condition--so turn in." Gaff said this in a tone
of command that did not admit of remonstrance; so Billy lay down, and
soon fell into a deep slumber.

For a long time Gaff rowed in silence, gazing wistfully up into the sky,
which was covered with gorgeous piles of snowy