Year: 1860

'osA oShCu put hC hCfCA CsS4 MtifCcQ. /


How's that said !.


There's a little more life in me you'd |
better fog out was the reply.


And I beat him again. beat him
till he sank from my hand against the
rail and then sent one of the men for
my quadrant. When it came and 1 had
adjusted it for my observation, found
that the sun was already past the merid-
ian, and that was too late. This added
fuel to the fire of my madness, and quick
ly seizing the lad by the collar, led him
to the main hatchway, and had the hatch
taken off. then thrust him down and
swore l would keep him there till his
stubborness was broken. The hatch was
then put on and went into the cabin
I suffered a good deal that afternoon, not
with my compUnctions for what l had
done, but with my own temper and Bit
terness. 1t made me mad to think
could not conquer that boy-that / could
not break down his cool, stern oppo-
sition. But l will do it, I said TO my
self, by the heavens above I'll starye
him into ii, or he shall die under the op-
eration


After supper l went to the hatchway,
and called out to him, but he returned no
answer, SO closed the hatchway and
went away. At ten o'clock I called again,
and again l got no answer. l might
have thought that the flogging had taken
away his senses, had not some of the
men assured me that they had heard him,
not an hour before talking to himself
did not trouble him again till morning.
After breakfast l went to the hatchway
and called out to him once more. I
heard nothing from him, nor could see
him-I had not seen him since l put him
down there. called out several times
but he would make no reply--and yet
the same men told me that they heard
him talking that very morning. He
seemed to be calling on them for help, but
/ he would not ask for me. | meant to
break him into it. He'll beg before he'll
starve,' thought, and so determined to
let him stay there. l supposed that he
had crawled forward to the forecastle bulk
head, in order to make the sailors hear
him. Some of the men asked leave to 90
down and look for him, but I refused. I
threatened to punish the first man that
dared to go down.


At noon l went again, and as he did
not answer me this time, resolved that he
should come to the hatchway and ask for
me ere / went any more. The day passed


away, and when evening came again be-


gan to be startled. l thought of the


many good qualities the boy had, ard OF


his widowed mother. He had been in


the hold thirty-six hours, and all of forty


without food or drink. He must be too


weak to cry out now. 1t was hard for


me to give up, but if he died there from
absolute starvation it might go harder


with me still. So at length made my


mind to go and see him. 1t was nof
= quite sundown when had the hatch taker
off, and I jumped down upon the boxer
: alone.


A little way forward l saw spaet
where Jack might easily have gone down
and to that point I crawled on my hands
, and knees. l called out there. but coult
get no answer. A short distance furthe.
was wide space, which had entirely
: forgotten, but which ! now remembered
e had been left open on account of breal
J in the flooring Of the hold, which woult
1 have let everything that might have beel
: stored there rest directly upon the thil
e planking ofthe ship.


;, To This place / made my way, an
looked down. l heard the splashing c
water, and thought / could detect a SCUM
like the incoming of tiny jet, or stream


At first / could see nothing, but as 500


as became used TO the dim light, 1 coul
i distinguish the faint outlines Of the bo
I" at some distance below me. He SCENE
Is to be sitting on the broken floor, with h
" feet stretched out against the cask.
/ called out to him and thought he locke
d up.


Jack, are you there 2


l. And he answered me in faint, wear


tone:


Yes, help me For heavens SAX,
4, help me! Bring men and bring a lal
N tern-the ship has sprung a leak ,


I hesitated, and he added in a mol
ss eager tone


a Make haste--I viii try and bold it i
l. you come back.


/ waited to hear no more, but hurns