good-will
overspread his features when the former explained his wishes.

"Certainly, my good sir, go where you like, and do what you please."

Armed with this permission, he and Captain Bream went to work to
distribute their gifts.

Most of the people received these gladly, some politely, a few with
suspicion, as if they feared that payment was expected, and one or two
refused them flatly. The distributers, meanwhile, had many an
opportunity afforded, when asked questions, of dropping here and there
"a word in season."

As this was the first time Captain Bream had ever been asked to act as
an amateur distributer of Testaments and tracts, he waited a few
minutes, with one of his arms well-filled, to observe how his companion
proceeded, and then himself went to work.

Of course, during all this time, he had not for an instant forgotten the
main object of his journey. On the contrary, much of the absence of
mind to which we have referred was caused by the intense manner, in
which he scanned the innumerable faces that passed to and fro before
him. He now went round eagerly distributing his gifts, though not so
much impressed with the importance of the work as he would certainly
have been had his mind been less pre-occupied. It was observed,
however, that the captain offered his parcels and Testaments only to
women, a circumstance which caused a wag from Erin to exclaim--

"Hallo! old gentleman, don't ye think the boys has got sowls as well as
the faimales?"

This was of course taken in good part by the captain, who at once
corrected the mistake. But after going twice round the deck, and
drawing forth many humorous as well as caustic remarks as to his size
and general appearance, he was forced to the conclusion that his sister
was not there. The lower regions still remained, however.

Descending to these with some hope and a dozen Testaments, he found that
the place was so littered with luggage, passengers, and children, that
it was extremely difficult to move. To make the confusion worse, nearly
the whole space between decks had been fitted up with extra berths--here
for the married, there for the unmarried--so that very little room
indeed was left for passage, and exceedingly little light entered.

But Captain Bream was not affected by such matters. He was accustomed
to them, and his eyesight was good. He was bent on one object, which he
pursued with quiet, unflagging perseverance--namely, that of gazin