ngth of ten strong men.

It took that number to hold him.

The wretched Andre fell prone in a swoon.

Cecile's women called on the Virgin and the saints.

We all held Marc.

Cecile turned upon me.

"You told me he was dead," she said.

Then, to the captain of the _Lepante_--"I am innocent--innocent--
innocent!"

But, in moments of supreme danger, men's ears are deaf to other people's
business.

It was save himself who can.

A leak had been sprung in the _Lepante_ by the collision with our yacht.
The pumps could not hold their own with the waters.

There was a panic on board.

The storm had abated. The boats were got ready. All rushed to them.

"_Place aux dames_!" I cried; and, with the spasmodic strength of great
crises, I held back the men, and got the women off first. Then men
enough to take charge of the boat.

M. Andre was in it; the first that was lowered. Another followed,
filled with the crew of the _Lepante_. Her captain was the first to
leap into it.

And Marc, freed from the arms that held him, dashed over the side into
the foaming waters, to swim after Cecile.

His vengeance was not in this world.

As for me, I was left alone on the _Lepante_--with the rats.

I am a sailor, and have a sailor's prejudices, fears, hopes, beliefs.

I saw the rats. They had not left the ship. I accepted the omen. I
knew the _Lepante_ was not doomed, if they stayed.

To take to such a sea in an open boat seemed certain death.

I preferred to stay with my friends, the rats.

Rudderless, dismasted, we still floated.

And drifted--drifted--drifted--

Northward, into the ice.

Into the ice-bound, ice-bearing sea that is round the North Pole.

I know no more.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Gone again, sir!" I said, for just as the doctor made a lurch at the
Frenchman, he melted away like the others.

"I never knew anything so provoking," cried the doctor. "But never
mind, we must find another, and keep to my old plan--cut him out in a
block, and take him home frozen, like a fly in amber. What a
sensation!"

"What! being friz?" said Scudds.

"No, my man. What a sensation it will make at the Royal Society, when I
uncover my specimen, pointing to it like a huge fly in amber. It will
be the greatest evening ever known."

He gave us no peace till we found another specimen, which we did, and
cut out by rule, and at last had it lying there