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se great and terrible tragedies。 He now made a final entry a little more in character with the situation：
〃About eight bells in the morning watch shipped a heavy sea forward。 The rudder being now damaged； and the ship hardly manageable； brought the log and case on check； expecting to founder shortly。 Sun and moon hidden this two days； and no observation possible； but by calculation of wind and current； we should be about fifty miles to the southward of the Mauritius。 God's will be done。〃
He got on deck with the bottle in his pocket and the bladder peeping out： put the log and its case down on deck； and by means of the life…lines crawled along on his knees； and with great difficulty； to the wheel。 Finding the men could hardly hold on； and dreading another sea； Dodd； with his own hands； lashed them to the helm。
While thus employed； he felt the ship give a slight roll； a very slight roll to windward。 His experienced eye lightened with hope； he cast his eager glance to leeward。 There it is a sailor looks for the first spark of hope。 Ay； thereaway was a little gleam of light。 He patted the helmsman on the shoulder and pointed to it； for now neither could one man speak for the wind； nor another hear。 The sailor nodded joyfully。
Presently the continuous tornado broke into squalls。
Hope grew brighter。
But； unfortunately； in one furious squall the ship broke round off； so as to present her quarter to the sea at an unlucky moment： for it came seven deep again； a roaring mountain； and hurled itself over her stern and quarter。 The mighty mass struck her stem frame with the weight of a hundred thousand tons of water； and drove her forward as a boy launches his toy…boat on a pond； and though she made so little resistance； stove in the dead lights and the port frames； burst through the cabin bulkheads； and washed out all the furniture； and Colonel Kenealy in his nightgown with a table in his arms borne on water three feet deep； and carried him under the poop awning away to the lee quarter…deck scuppers； and flooded the lower deck。 Above； it swept the quarter…deck clean of everything except the shrieking helmsmen； washed Dodd away like a cork； and would have carried him overboard if he had not brought up against the mainmast and grasped it like grim death； half drowned； half stunned； sorely bruised； and gasping like a porpoise ashore。
He held on by the mast in water and foam； panting。 He rolled his despairing eyes around； the bulwarks fore and aft were all in ruins； with wide chasms； as between the battlements of some decayed castle； and through the gaps he saw the sea yawning wide for him。 He dare not move： no man was safe a moment unless lashed to mast or helm。 He held on； expecting death。 But presently it struck him he could see much farther than before。 He looked up： it was clearing overhead； and the uproar abating visibly。 And now the wind did not decline as after a gale： extraordinary to the last； it blew itself out。
Sharpe came on deck； and crawled on all fours to his captain； and helped him to a life…line。 He held on by it； and gave his orders。 The wind was blown out； but the sea was as dangerous as ever。 The ship began to roll to windward。 If that was not stopped； her fate was sealed。 Dodd had the main trysail set and then the fore trysail； before he would yield to go below； though drenched； and sore； and hungry； and worn out。 Those sails steadied the ship； the sea began to go down by degrees； the celestial part of nature was more generous： away flew every cloud； out came the heavenly sky bluer and lovelier than ever they had seen it； the sun flamed in its centre。 Nature； after three days' eclipse； was so lovely； it seemed a new heavens and a new earth。 If there was an infidel on board who did not believe in God； now his soul felt Him； in spite of the poor little head。 As for Dodd； who was naturally pious； he raised his eyes towards that lovely sky in heartfelt； though silent； gratitude to its Maker for saving the ship and cargo and her people's lives； not forgetting the private treasure he was carrying home to his dear wife and children。
With this thought； he naturally looked down； but missed the bladder that had lately protruded from his pocket He clapped his hand to his pocket all in a flutter。 The bottle was gone。 In a fever of alarm and anxiety； but with good hopes of finding it； he searched the deck； he looked in every cranny； behind every coil of rope the sea had not carried away。
In vain。
The sea； acting on the buoyant bladder attached； had clearly torn the bottle out of his pocket； when it washed him against the mast。 His treasure then must have been driven much farther； and how far？ Who could tell？
It flashed on the poor man with fearful distinctness that it must either have been picked up by somebody in the ship ere now； or else carried out to sea。
Strict inquiry was made amongst the men。
No one had seen it
The fruit of his toil and prudence； the treasure Love； not Avarice； had twined with his heartstrings； was gone。 In its defence he had defeated two pirates； each his superior in force； and now conquered the elements at their maddest。 And in the very moment of that great victoryIt was gone。
CHAPTER XII
IN the narrative of home events I skipped a little business； not quite colourless； but irrelevant to the love passages then on hand。 It has； however； a connection with the curious events now converging to a point： so； with the reader's permission； I will place it in logical sequence； disregarding the order of time。 The day Dr。 Sampson splashed among the ducks； and one of them hid till dinner； the rest were seated at luncheon； when two patients were announced as waitingMr。 and Mrs。 Maxley。 Sampson refused to see them； on this ground： 〃I will not feed and heal。〃 But Mrs。 Dodd interceded； and he yielded。 〃Well； then； show them in here。 They are better cracters than pashints。〃 On this； a stout fresh…coloured woman； the picture of health； was ushered in and curtseyed all round。 〃Well； what is the matter now？〃 inquired Sampson rather roughly。 〃Be seated； Mrs。 Maxley；〃 said Mrs。 Dodd； benignly。
〃I thank ye kindly； ma'am；〃 and she sat down。 〃Doctor； it is that pain。〃
〃Well； don't say 'that pain。' Describe it。 Now listen all of ye； ye're goen to get a clinical lecture。〃
〃If _you_ please； ma'am；〃 said the patient； 〃it takes me here under my left breest； and runs right to my elbow； it do； and bitter bad 'tis while it do last； chokes me mostly； and I feel as I must die： and if I was to move hand or fut； I think I _should_ die； that I do。〃
〃Poor woman！〃 said Mrs。 Dodd。
〃Oh； she isn't dead yet；〃 cried Sampson cheerfully。 〃She'll sell addled eggs over all our tombstones； that is to say； if she minds what I bid her。 When was your last spasm？〃
〃No longer agone that yestereen； ma'am； and so I said to my master； 'The doctor he is due to…morrow； Sally up at Albion tells me； and'〃
〃Whist！ whist！ who cares what you said to Jack； and Jill said to you？ What was the cause？〃
〃The cause！ What； of my pain？ He says； 'What was the cause？'〃
〃Ay； the cause。 Just obsairve； jintlemen；〃 said Sampson； addressing imaginary students； 〃how startled they all are if a docker deviates from profissional habits into sceince； and takes the right eend of the stick for once b' asking for the cause。〃
〃The cause was the will of God； I do suppose；〃 said Mrs。 Maxley。
〃Stuff！〃 shouted Sampson angrily。 〃Then why come to mortal me to cure you？〃
Alfred put in his oar。 〃He does not mean the 'final cause；' he means the 'proximate cause。
〃My poor dear creature； I bain't no Latiner；〃 objected the patient。
Sampson fixed his eyes sternly on the slippery dame。 〃What I want to know is； had you been running up…stairs？ or eating fast？ or drinking fast？ or grizzling over twopence？ or quarrelling with your husband！ Come now； which was it？〃
〃Me quarrel with my man！ We haven't never been disagreeable； not once； since we went to church a pair and came back a couple。 I don't say but what we mayn't have had a word or two at odd times； as married folk will。〃
〃And the last time you had a word or twoy' infairnal quibblerwas it just before your last spasm； eh？〃
〃Well； it might； I am not gainsaying that： but you said quarrel； says you。 'Quarrel' it were your word； and I defy all Barkton； gentle and simple； to say as how me and my master〃
〃Whisht！ whisht！ Now； jintlemen； ye see what the great coming sceincethe sceince of Healinghas to contind with。 The dox are all fools； but one： and the pashints are lyres； ivery man Jack。 N' listen me； y' have got a disease that you can't eradicate； but you may muzzle it for years； and die of something quite different when your time's up。〃
〃Like enough； sir。 If _you_ please； ma'am； Dr。 Stephenson do blame my indigestion for it。〃
〃Dr。 Stephenson's an ass。〃
〃Dear heart； how cantankerous you be。 To be sure Dr。 Osmond he says no： it's muscular； says he。〃
〃Dr。 Osmond's an ijjit。 List me； You mustn't grizzle about money； you mustn't gobble； nor drink your beer too fast。〃
〃You are wrong； doctor； I never drink no beer： it costs〃
〃Your catlap； then。 And above all； no grizzling！ Go to church whenever you can without losing a farthing。 It's medicinal； soothes the br