ieted down, so taking my lantern and dog, I blundered along
down the rocky path with "Eddy" at my heels, till I came to the boat of
which I was presently to become the Charon.

With "Eddy's" help the boat was safely, though riskily launched, as my
passenger made it very top heavy. Seeing this, I caught "Begum" up and
tossed him overboard, so that he might swim ashore again, which I
daresay he thought a great liberty and very unkind, but it was a
necessity.

Away into the darkness of the night I steered my little bark, among the
big hills and vales of the pathless deep. When I had gone as far as I
judged it prudent to venture, I thought I would drop anchor and down
sail, and accordingly hove the anchor overboard; but somehow the sail
would not descend. I had therefore to climb over my passenger and go to
the foot of the mast with the lantern to see what was amiss. I found the
halyard had jammed in the sheave, and in trying to release it, as the
boat slid down the side of a great black wave, she gave a tremendous
lurch, and I thought was about to capsize, but she righted quickly as
the yard came down on my head by the run. I gathered in the canvas and
turned round to see how I could make room for the yard to lie safely
when, presto, the dead man was gone! It certainly made my heart give a
big thump, but a moment's reflection shewed me that the rolling of my
boat had caused the body to shoot off the boards, feet downward, thus
saving me the trouble of having to tip it off the planks.

The boat was now in good trim, and I had no fear for her safety nor my
own, so placing the lantern on the floor, I sat down and read by its
uncertain light the stirring service for the "Burial of those who die at
Sea." Fervently I said those prayers as the salt spray, mingling with my
tears, ran down my face, and when I pronounced the words, "I therefore
commit his body to the deep," I looked around fearfully, as if the man
might still be near me, but I saw him no more.

The bell of St. Peter's struck twelve o'clock just as the service was
finished, sounding as I had never heard it sound before--so solemn and
full of meaning as it tolled out in the still midnight air.

I pulled back with great effort, by reason of the heavy roll of the sea,
and landed by the ruined boathouse, with great risk of losing both
myself and boat. When safely ashore at last I was thankful to have
accomplished my dread mission without accident. As I hauled my boat