galley, where the cook was ready with a great tin bucket full of the
steaming stuff, regular meat essence in its strength.

From here they went down into the forecastle, dim, steamy, and with
snowflakes floating here and there. Two or three of the men sat near
the stove, but for the most part they were in their bunks, and all
greeted the new-comers with a hollow-eyed stare. Their basins were half
filled and taken from bunk to bunk; but the men could hardly be roused
to eat, and at times the doctor had to angrily insist before they could
be induced to try to partake of the steaming preparation.

Watty was the first for whom Steve made in the dark, depressing place,
and found him lying dim-eyed, half stupefied, gazing at the light. He
thought of how he had roused the lad up before again and again, but the
spirit was wanting, on both sides now; and after with great difficulty
inducing the lad to partake of a few spoonfuls of the so-called
medicine, Watty sank back, and then felt slowly for Steve's hand.

"I'm thenkin', Meester Stevey," he whispered, "that she'll ket pack to
Scotland."

"Yes, and you too," said Steve, with as much heart as he could put into
his words--little enough, though.

"Nay, she's coing to dee, and she's ferry sorry she wasna always coot
frien's."

"Oh, never mind that now, Watty!"

"Put she toes mind, Meester Stevey, and she's ferry sorry. Ye'll pe
coing pack to Scotland, sir, and ye'll tak' care an' co and tell my
mither a' aboot her and how she deed."

Steve could bear no more. He hurried across to where Andrew was lying,
and took him a basin of the doctor's soup. But his success was very
little better here. All the men were in the dull, apathetic state
pretty well expressed by the Highlander, who, after partaking of a few
spoonfuls of the stimulus, said softly:

"Ye'll do her a favour?"

"Yes, Andra, if I can. But stop; do me one first. Get up, and try and
help us."

"Nay, she'll never ket oop acain," said the man. "Ye'll chust wait till
she's deed, an' then come an' tak' awa' the pipes. They're doon here
peside me in her plankets, and she'll tak' care of them an' carry them
pack hame wi' her; an' laddie, if she'll try an' learn the pipes, it's
the far pestest music as effer wass, an' she'll thenk sometimes apoot
puir Andra McByle?"

Steve promised. At another time he could have laughed; but now, in,
that dim, gloomy place, surrounded by the faces of the gaunt men whose