ion of the chest. At last
he got up, and looked long and fixedly at the other, as if to read the
thoughts passing through his head.

"You are right, brother Simon," he said, after some time, in a deep,
low, mournful voice; "it's dross--dross--all dross. What is it worse
than what we have been working for? That's gone--all gone--let this go
too--down--down to the bottom of the sea."

Again influenced by the same impulse, they dragged the chest to the side
of the vessel, and with hurried gestures threw the contents with their
hands over into the sea. It appeared as if they were trying which could
heave overboard the greatest quantity in the shortest time. When they
had emptied it, they lifted up the chest, and before any one could
prevent them that also was cast into the sea.

"There perish all memorial of our folly!" exclaimed the one who was
called Simon. "We shall have to begin the world anew. Captain, where
do you propose landing us? The sooner we begin the work the better."

The captain told them that must depend on circumstances, but it was
finally arranged that they were to be put on shore at Barbadoes, where,
after a long conversation together, they expressed a wish to be landed.
The scene was a very strange one; the rapid changes of ideas, the
quickly succeeding impulses, and the extraordinary understanding between
the two. We found, however, that they were twins, and had always lived
together, so that they seemed to have but one mind in common.

I never met an officer who took so much interest in the apprentices--
indeed, in all the men under him. He took occasion to speak to me and
Charley of what had occurred.

"How utterly incapable of affording satisfaction is wealth unless
honestly obtained and righteously employed!" he remarked. "We have also
before us an example of the little reliance which can be placed on
wealth. These two poor men have lost theirs and their minds at the same
time. Their senses have been mercifully restored to them. It remains
to be seen by what means they will attempt to regain their fortunes."

I cannot say that Mr Merton's remarks made any very deep impression on
me or Charley at the time, though I trust they produced their fruit in
after years. Every kindness was shown the two poor men on board, and,
as far as I could judge, they appeared to have become perfectly sane.
The same kindness was also shown the mate and the other rescued seamen
of the lost brig. We