ounts for the inconsistency of
his well-to-do looks and his pitiable groans. Vile hypocrite!

Yet why, it struck me, should I complain? Was not I reaping the benefit
of that secret store that he, for himself, had saved?

But Hobart had no idea of allowing me the peaceable possession of what
he held to be his own. He made a dash at the fragment of bacon, and
seemed determined to wrest it from my grasp. We struggled with each
other, but although our wrestling was very violent, it was very
noiseless. We were both of us aware that it was absolutely necessary
that not one of those on board should know anything at all about
the prize for which we were contending. Nor was my own determination
lessened by hearing him groan out that it was his last, his only morsel.
"His!" I thought; "it shall be mine now!"

And still careful that no noise of commotion should arise, I threw him
on his back, and grasping his throat so that it gurgled again, I held
him down until, in rapid mouthfuls, I had swallowed up the last scrap of
the food for which we had fought so hard.

I released my prisoner, and quietly crept back to my own quarters.

And not a soul is aware that I have broken my fast!

CHAPTER XLVII.

JANUARY 18th.--After this excitement I awaited the approach of day with
a strange anxiety. My conscience told me that Hobart had the right to
denounce me in the presence of all my fellow-passengers; yet my alarm
was vain. The idea of my proceedings being exposed by him was quite
absurd; in a moment he would himself be murdered without pity by the
crew, if it should be revealed that, unknown to them, he had been living
on some private store which, by clandestine cunning, he had reserved.
But, in spite of my anxiety, I had a longing for day to come.

The bit of food that I had thus stolen was very small; but small as it
was it had alleviated my hunger, and I was now tortured with remorse,
because I had not shared the meagre morsel with my fellow-sufferers.
Miss Herbey, Andre, his father, all had been forgotten, and from the
bottom of my heart I repented of my cruel selfishness.

Meantime the moon rose high in the heavens, and the first streaks of
dawn appeared. There is no twilight in these low latitudes, and the
full daylight came well nigh at once. I had not closed my eyes since my
encounter with the steward, and ever since the first blush of day I had
laboured under the impression that I could see some unusual dark mass
hal