shared with me the feeling that,
such a thing having once happened, it might possibly happen again. The
reef that had held us prisoners for so long might sink again to the
ocean depths, perchance carrying the ship with it in the terrific
turmoil that must ensue; or it might be hove up still higher, leaving
the ship stranded and immovable; and then what would be our plight?
Therefore, when on the evening of a certain day Gurney ventured to voice
the suggestion that it would now be well to think seriously of making
good our escape, while yet the opportunity to do so remained to us,
neither of the others raised so much as a single word of protest, but on
the contrary agreed to the proposal with an eagerness which clearly
showed how welcome it was to us all.

"As for me," said Gurney, when walking the poop with me that night and
discussing the matter, "my way is now clear; Gracie and I will get
married as soon as we arrive in Sydney; and then I think I may venture
to return home and once more hope to find a welcome beneath the roof-
tree which shelters those to whom I have given so much sorrow."

"Indeed," remarked I, scarcely knowing what to say, for my companion had
spoken those last words in a tone of such intense feeling that I felt
convinced a story must lie behind them.

"Yes," he said, and was silent for a minute or two, apparently plunged
in deep and painful thought. Then, suddenly throwing up his head, he
continued: "I belong to the genus Prodigal Son. Would you care to hear
my story? I think I should rather like to tell it you; for you are a
good lad, high-spirited, full of generous impulses, eager to excel, and
full of pluck. You are bound to make a success of your life if you will
only steadfastly follow the path that your feet are now treading. But--
forgive me for saying so--the qualities that you possess, excellent as
they are, are precisely those that, unless you are very careful, are
likely to betray you.

"When I was your age I was just such another lad as you are, and my
father was as proud of, and as hopeful for, me as any parent can
possibly be of an only son. He gave me a first-class education, and
finally procured me an excellent post under Government. My duties took
me abroad--there is no need to say where--and I at once found myself the
associate and companion of a lot of young fellows who had somehow
imbibed the idea that it was incumbent upon them, as Government
officials, to adopt a