.

"Make haste, that's good lads," said he, in a trembling voice; "my days
are numbered, I fear; but I am not fit to die. I don't want to die, and
I would give all I own to save my life."

I did not want any pressing. I got up, and though my limbs were stiff,
after moving them about a little I found that I could walk. Charley at
first thought that he could not move, but on making one or two trials he
discovered that he was able to accompany me. So we set off together to
try and find our way to Grimsby, which the mate told as was the nearest
village he knew of.

After wandering about and missing our way, and having to sit down
frequently from weakness, we reached Grimsby. Our appearance excited a
good deal of compassion among the people, who came out of their houses
to inquire about the wreck. The chief man of the place was a Mr Adams;
he took us into his house and sent for shoes and clothing for us, and
had us washed, and dressed in fresh dry clothes, and put food before us.
When I told him about the old mate, he said that he knew the place, and
that he could not let us go back, but that he would send some men with a
litter who would bring him in much sooner than if we were to go for him.
He was as good as his word, for not long after we had done breakfast
Mr Cole appeared; he seemed very ill, but he was able to take a little
food, and drink some spirits and water. He was put at once to bed, and
Mr Adams sent over to Saint Mary's, the chief town in the island, for a
doctor to see him. The doctor came, and shook his head and said that he
saw very little prospect of his recovery. All the time we remained at
Grimsby, we were treated with the greatest kindness. We had the best of
everything, comfortable beds, and nothing to do. Charley and I sat up
by turns by the side of the old man's bed. He grew worse and worse; we
soon saw that his days were drawing to a close.

A week passed away, and still he lingered on. I asked the doctor if he
did not think that he might recover.

"No; it is impossible," he answered.

"Does he know, sir, that he is going to die?" I asked.

"Every man knows that such will be his lot, one day or other," he
replied, "though many try very hard to forget it."

"Shall I tell him, sir, what you think?" said I; for I could not bear
the idea of allowing the old man to go out of the world without any
preparation.

"It will do him no harm," said the doctor. "If it would. I could not