s evil councillor had given
him made him sleepy, so he could not think. Otherwise his conscience
might have been aroused, and he might have recollected his poor mother
lying on a bed of sickness, and his affectionate sister watching for his
return. Satan knows that he has his victims secure when they are in
that condition.

Archy Hughson was at length awakened by the loud tramp of the crew on
deck, the boats being hoisted in, the anchor hove up. He could hear the
ripple of the water against the sides of the ship. The "Kate" was under
way, but she was not yet even out of Bressay Sound. The hours passed
by. He began to grow very weary of his imprisonment, and to long for
the expected signal from Max, even though he should soon afterwards have
to face the captain, and perhaps be punished for having concealed
himself on board. As he thought of this, he began to wish he had waited
till he had overcome his mother's objections, and been able to go sea,
like other lads, with a proper outfit. Now and then a better feeling,
akin to remorse, stole over him, when he thought of the sorrow and
anxiety his absence must cause his mother, who, though over-indulgent,
had ever been affectionate and kind to him. Still he did not perceive
the wickedness of his own heart, or the cruel ingratitude of which he
had been guilty. "She should have let me go, it's her own fault," he
repeated, hardening himself. "It's too late now to draw back. I should
look very foolish if I was to be set on shore on Unst, and have to find
my way home by myself."

Unst is the most northern of the Shetland Islands, and Archy guessed
that by that time the "Kate" was not far off it.

He had little appetite to eat the food he had brought, but he soon drank
up the contents of the flask. The mixture was somewhat strong, and sent
him off to sleep again. Once more Satan had him at an advantage, for
even then, had he gone to the captain, he would have been sent on shore,
and retrieved his fault by returning home and relieving his mother's
anxiety. Undo it he could not; for a sin, once committed, can never by
man's power be undone, never forgiven. All sin is committed against
God--the slightest evil thought, the slightest departure from truth, is
sin against God's pure and holy law, and He alone can forgive sin. He
forgives it only according to the one way He has appointed. He blots it
out altogether from remembrance. That way is through faith in the
pe