es precedes the departure of the soul.

"Write!" said he in his deep, full tones.

"I, Samuel Cooper, able seaman, am going to slip my cable, and sail into
the presence of my Maker."

He waited till this was written.

"And so I speak the truth.

"The ship _Proserpine_ was destroyed willful.

"The men had more allowance than they signed for.

"The mate was always plying the captain with liquor.

"Two days before ever the ship leaked, the mate got the long-boat ready.

"When the _Proserpine_ sank, we was on her port quarter, aboard the
cutter, was me and my messmate Tom Welch.

"We saw two auger-holes in her stern, about two inches diameter.

"Them two holes was made from within, for the splinters showed outside.

"She was a good ship, and met with no stress of weather to speak of, on
that voyage.

"Joe Wylie scuttled her and destroyed her people.

"D--n his eyes!"

Mr. Hazel was shocked at this finale; but he knew what sailors are, and
how little meaning there is in their set phrases. However, as a
clergyman, he could not allow these to be Cooper's last words; so he said
earnestly, "Yes, but, my poor fellow, you said you forgave all your
enemies. We all need forgiveness, you know."

"That is true, sir."

"And you forgive this Wylie, do you not?"

"Oh, Lord, yes," said Cooper, faintly. "I forgive the lubber; d--n him!"

Having said these words with some difficulty, he became lethargic, and so
remained for two hours. Indeed, he spoke but once more, and that was to
Welch; though they were all about him then. "Messmate," said he, in a
voice that was now faint and broken, "you and I must sail together on
this new voyage. I'm going out of port first; but" (in a whisper of
inconceivable tenderness and simple cunning) "I'll lie to outside the
harbor till you come out, my boy." Then he paused a moment. Then he added
softly, "For I love you, Tom."

These sweet words were the last of that rugged, silent sailor, who never
threw a word away, and whose rough breast inclosed a friendship as of the
ancient world, tender, true and everlasting: that sweetened his life and
ennobled his death. As he deserved mourners, so he had true ones.

His last words went home to the afflicted hearts that heard them, and the
lady and gentleman, whose lives he had saved at cost of his own, wept
aloud over their departed friend. But his messmate's eye was dry. When
all was over, he just turned to the mourners and said grav