for all he required was to
be left undisturbed with Nature, that she might have time to work her
cure, for as far as he was concerned nothing could be done.

He knew that a tremendous storm was raging, though there was so little
sea on that the motion of the vessel was not violent, for the simple
reason that the tops of the waves were cut off by the terrific wind,
which literally levelled the white waste of waters through which they
tore.

It must have been about midnight when the cabin door was opened again,
and the old sailor crept in and close up to the doctor's side.

"How is he, sir?" said the man, with his lips close to the doctor's ear.

"Very, very bad, my man," was the reply.

"Poor dear lad!" growled the old sailor. "So we are up yonder, sir."

"Oh!" said the doctor, quietly, but without taking his eyes from the
patient.

"Engine's running at full speed to keep us head to wind."

"Oh!" said the doctor, in the same low, uninterested tone.

"Wust storm I was ever in, sir, and if it don't soon lull goodness knows
what will happen next."

"Indeed?" said the doctor. "But go now. Quietness is everything for my
patient now."

"Well, I'm blest," said the man to himself; "it's like talking to anyone
in his sleep. Quietness, eh? Hang it! I didn't make half so much
noise as the wind. He's thinking of that poor lad and of nothing else."

It was so all through the night, the doctor hardly noticing the
refreshments brought in by the white-faced steward, who tried to get up
a conversation, but with very little success. "Terrible storm, sir."

"Yes," said the doctor.

"Bad for poor young Mr Cranford, aren't it, sir?"

"Very bad."

"Lot of the passengers ill, sir, and asking for you, sir."

"Sea-sick?" said, the doctor, with a momentary display of interest.
"Awful, sir."

"I could do nothing for them, and I cannot leave my patient," said the
doctor, slowly.

The steward ventured upon another remark, but it was not heard.

During the next few hours the captain sent down twice for news, but did
not once leave the deck, the storm raging with, if possible, greater
violence; but the vessel fought bravely, backed as she was by the
guidance of skilful hands, and evening was approaching, with everybody
on board growing worn out with anxiety or exertion.

The night came on weird and strange, the white spray and the peculiar
milky phosphorescent surface of the sea relieving the darkness, but
giving in