The pain of death hath bitterness
Too deep for man to name—
But, ah! the poignant sting of grief
Accompanied with shame!

Words can hardly convey the feelings of wonder, sorrow and relief that followed each other in rapid succession through Mrs. Sinclair\'s mind at the old Captain\'s story.

She looked upon the undeniable proof of her own photograph with tears of thankfulness in her eyes, while the last repentant words of her only child, brought pain too deep for utterance or demonstration. It seemed that two lads of about the same age, strangers to each other, became inspired with the mutual desire to run away from parental authority and try their luck upon the ocean.

[Pg 164]

Neither of the lads dreamed for an instant that their unexpected entree into the Captain\'s family, when they were safely out of port, would be greeted with less than cheers and congratulations, or that other than ease and glory would be their portion for the remainder of the voyage.

Fortunately, for the success of their expectations, the Commander of the "Water Sprite" had a gentle heart under his rough exterior, and moreover, had boys of his own at home, so he only insisted on their earning their glory by keeping the brass work shining and allowed them to eat their fill at the second table.

The boys were singularly alike in feature but widely different in expression and disposition, Maurice being mischievous and happy, while Jack Fenton, the other lad, was ill-natured and vicious in his dealings with his companion in the adventure.

On the day preceding the terrible storm, Maurice was taken violently ill, and notwithstanding all was done that could be under such limited circumstances, he passed away almost at the very moment, when, rudderless and with her rigging[Pg 165] swept away, the "Water Sprite" drifted helplessly at the mercy of wind and wave.

They were all saved through the timely assistance of an outgoing steamer, but Maurice\'s dead body was left to find a watery grave, through sheer inability to remove it.

The other lad was safely landed in Calcutta, and the Captain soon lost track of him in the press of his many duties.

To the old Captain, Maurice had told much of his home surroundings and the letter to his mother, on the day of his death, was written at his instigation, when his experie............