s fate in communion with his fellow-sufferers!"

A shout from Sigismund came whirling past, as if the sound were embodied
in the gale.

"Blessed ruler of the earth, this is alone the mercy!" exclaimed Melchior
de Willading,--"he has found the path!"

"And honor to thee, Maria--thou mother of God!" murmured the Italian.

At that moment, a dog came leaping and barking through the snow. It
immediately was scenting and whining among the frozen travellers. The
exclamations of joy and surprise were scarcely uttered before Sigismund,
accompanied by another, joined the party.

"Honor and thanks to the good Augustines!" cried the delighted guide;
"this is the third good office of the kind, for which I am their debtor!"

"I would it were true, honest Pierre," answered the stranger. "But Maso
and Nettuno are poor substitutes, in a tempest like this, for the servants
and beasts of St. Bernard. I am a wanderer, and lost like yourselves, and
my presence brings little other relief than that which is known to be the
fruit of companionship in misery. The saints have brought me a second time
into your company when matters were hanging between life and death!"

Maso made this last remark when, by drawing nearer the group, he had been
able to ascertain, by the remains of the light, of whom the party was
composed.

"If it is to be as useful now as thou hast already been," answered the
Genoese, "it will be happier for us all, thyself included: bethink thee
quickly of thy expedients, and I will make thee an equal sharer of all
that a generous Providence hath bestowed."

Il Maledetto rarely listened to the voice of the Signor Grimaldi, without
a manner of interest and curiosity which, as already mentioned, had more
than once struck the latter himself, but which he quite naturally
attributed to the circumstance of his person being known to one who had
declared himself to be a native of Genoa. Even at this terrible moment,
the same manner was evident and the noble, thinking it a favorable
symptom, renewed the already neglected offer of fortune, with a view to
quicken a zeal which he reasonably enough supposed would be most likely to
be awakened by the hopes of a substantial reward.

"Were there question here, illustrious Signore," answered Maso, "of
steering a barge, of shortenning sail, or of handling a craft of any rig
or construction, in gale, squall, hurricane, or a calm among breakers, my
skill and experience might be turned to go