e of my son!"

The Jew, intently gazing at the cross, passed into such a stupor or
ecstasy that he had no knowledge of the flight of time. He only knew
that, after a certain dreamy interval, the door of his house yielded
to a living man, and, nearly naked with breasting the surf and
fighting for life, young Abraham staggered into the hut and recognized
his father.

"O son!" cried Issachar, "I feel the news thou hast to tell. The Eli
is wrecked and thou only hast survived. The moments are precious.
Hark! this house is yielding to the buoyant current. Stay not for me,
whose sands are nearly run. I am too old to try for life or fear to
die, but thou art full of youth and beauty, and Israel needs thee in
the world behind me. Let me bless thee, Abraham, and commit thee to
God."

The water entered the cracks of the cabin; a pitching motion, as if it
were afloat, made the son of the negro cling closer to the Jew.

"Father," he said, "I have passed the bitterness of death. When the
vessel struck and threw me into the surf, I cried to God and fought
for life. The waves rolled over me, and the agony of dying so young
and happy grew into such a terror that I could not pray. In my despair
a something seemed to grasp me, like tongs of iron, and my eyes were
filled with light, bright as the face of the I AM. Behold! I am here,
and that which saved me has made me content to die by thee."

The old man drew the dripping ringlets of the younger one to his
venerable beard. The house rocked like a sailing vessel, and the
strong sea-fogs seemed to close them round.

"We are sailing to sea," whispered the Jew. "It is too late to escape.
The next billow may fling us apart, and our bones shall descend
amongst the oyster-shells to build houses for the nutritious beings of
the water. Thence, some day, my son, from the heavens God may drop His
tongs and draw us up to Him, as on this night thy father and I drew
the casket, many years ago. Look there! Look there!"

The heads of both were turned toward the spot where the finger of the
old man pointed, and they saw the denuded cross shining in the light
of the agitated fire, so large and bright that it reduced all other
objects to insignificance.

"It was a light like that," exclaimed Abraham, "which shone in my eyes
through the darkness of the billows."

"It was on that," whispered Issachar, "that I called for help, my son,
when thou wert dying. From the hour I dipped it from the water my