abled me to send a deeper glance into the mind of
this man than I had yet been able to manage, but made me understand a
reason for the bloody and furious quarrels which have again and again
arisen among persons standing on the brink of eternity, to whom a cup of
drink or the sight of a ship had been more precious than the contents of
the Bank of England.

I set about getting the dinner.

"Whilst you are at that work," cried he, starting up, "I'll overhaul the
pockets of the bodies on deck;" and, picking up a chopper, away he
went, and I heard him cursing in his native tongue as he stumbled to the
companion-ladder through the darkness in the cabin.

His rapacity was beyond credence. There was an immense treasure in the
hold, yet he could not leave the pockets of the two poor wretches on
deck alone. I did not envy him his task. The frozen figures would bear a
deal of hammering; and besides he had to work in the cold. Ah, thought I
with a groan, I should have left him to make one of them!

I had finished my dinner by the time he arrived. He produced the watch I
had taken from and returned to the mate's pocket when I had searched him
for a tinder-box; also a gold snuff-box set with diamonds, and a few
Spanish pieces in gold. On seeing these things I remembered that I had
found some rings and money in his pockets whilst overhauling him for
means to obtain fire; but I held my peace.

"Should not we have been imbeciles to sacrifice these beauties?" he
cried, viewing the watch and snuff-box with a rapturous grin.

"They were hard to come at, I expect?"

"No," he answered, pocketing them and turning to a piece of beef in the
oven. "I knocked away the ice and after a little wrenching got at the
pockets. But poor Trentanove! d'ye know, his nose came away with the
mask of ice! He is no longer lovely to the sight!" He broke into a
guffaw, then stuffed his mouth full and talked in the intervals of
chewing. "There was nothing worth taking on Barros. They are both
overboard."

"Overboard!" I cried.

"Why, yes," said he. "They are no good on deck. I stood them against the
rail, then tipped them over."

This was an illustration of his strength I did not much relish.

"I doubt if I could have lifted Barros," said I.

"Not you!" he exclaimed, running his eye over me. "A dead Dutchman would
have the weight of a fairy alongside Barros."

"Well, Mr. Tassard," said I, "since you are so strong, you will be very
useful to our sch