much of a colorist Willis might be, he could not have painted
a storm with the eloquence of the elements that had cut short his
observation.

"You will not attempt to embark in weather like this?" inquired Mrs.
Becker anxiously.

"My duty it is to be on board," replied the Pilot.

"The craft that ventures to take you there will get swamped twenty
times on the way," observed Becker.

"The worst of it is, the wind is from the east, and evidently carries
waterspouts with it. These waterspouts strike a ship without the
slightest warning, play amongst the rigging, whirl the sails about
like feathers--sometimes carry them off bodily, or, if they do not do
that, tear them to shreds and shiver the masts. In either case, the
consequences are disagreeable."

"A reason for you to be thankful you are safe on shore with us!"
remarked Mrs. Wolston.

"It is all very well for you, Mrs. Wolston, and you, Mrs. Becker, to
talk in that way; your business in life is that of wives and mothers.
But what will the Lords of the Admiralty say, when they hear that the
sloop _Nelson_ was wrecked whilst Master Willis, the boatswain, was
skulking on shore like a land-rat?"

"Oh, they would only say there was one useful man more, and a victim
the less," replied Fritz.

"Why, not exactly, Master Fritz; they would say that Willis was a
poltroon or a deserter, whichever he likes; they would very likely
condemn him to the yard-arm by default, and carry out the operation
when they get hold of him. But I will not endanger any one else; all I
want is the use of your canoe."

"What! brave this storm in a wretched seal-skin cockle-shell like
that?"

"Would it not be offending Providence," hazarded Mary Wolston, "for
one of God's creatures to abandon himself to certain death?"

"It would, indeed," added Mrs. Wolston; "true courage consists in
facing danger when it is inevitable, but not in uselessly imperiling
one's life; there stops courage, and temerity begins."

"If it is not pride or folly. I do not mean that with reference to
you, Willis," hastily added Wolston; "I know that you are open as day,
and that all your impulses arise from the heart."

"That is all very fine--but I must act; let me have the canoe. I want
the canoe: that is my idea."

"Having lived fifteen years cut off from society," gravely observed
Becker, "it may be that I have forgotten some of the laws it imposes;
nevertheless, I declare upon my honor and conscience--"