tion all our lives. We had, in truth,
few troubles and few anxieties. Food, fuel, and clothing we possessed in
abundance, and no fears crossed our minds that they would ever fail us.

"But this satisfactory state of mind, so natural at times, was apt to be
broken up by a very slight occurrence,--unusual fatigue, a restless
sleep, a severe storm confining us to the hut for many days together, or
by the disappointment we so often experienced when an object which we
had confidently believed to be a ship proved to be but an iceberg. Nor
was this more unnatural than that we should at times be perfectly happy
and well contented. Thus are we all made, and thus are we all, at times,
inconsistent; being often unhappy when there is no assignable cause, and
often experiencing the sense of great happiness, under circumstances
apparently the most distressing.

"You will see, therefore, that there is but one way for any of us to
preserve an even temper and uniform disposition; that is, I mean, always
to be cheerful, never despondent, ever hopeful; and this can only be
attained by always feeling the real presence of God with us; when we
meet with disappointment, to say in our hearts, 'Well, it was not the
will of God,' or, if we meet with what seems great good fortune, 'It is
the will of God that we do some good work, and therefore he has thus
blessed us.' Thus only can we be truly happy. With this feeling there is
always consolation in distress. It begets charity, and love, and
confidence, and gentleness; it makes the heart light and the face
cheerful, and the life like a sunbeam gladdening where it goes. That's
what the love of God does.

"These thoughts are suggested to me by the experiences that the Dean and
I were having at the time I speak of. How much more happy we should have
been, had we felt always as I have last described! we should then never
have been cast down, but should have been always hopeful,--never wishing
to sleep on and on, and thus drown sorrow. We should not have felt as we
did now when the strange man had come from the frozen sea and
disappeared again.

"Well, to come back to the story, we were not allowed to sleep as long
as we wanted to. Our sleep was indeed brought to an end very suddenly. I
was first startled by a great noise, and then, springing up, much
alarmed, I aroused the Dean, who was a sounder sleeper even than myself.

"'What's the matter?' cried he.

"'Didn't you hear a noise?' I asked.