Fortunately Mr. Meeson was more or less acquainted with the formalities
that are necessary in the execution of a will, namely: that the testator
and the two witnesses should all sign in the presence of each other. He
also knew that it was sufficient, if, in cases of illness, some third
person held the pen between the testator's fingers and assisted him to
write his name, or even if someone signed for the testator in his
presence and by his direction; and, arguing from this knowledge, he came
to the conclusion--afterwards justified in the great case of Meeson v.
Addison and Another--that it would be sufficient if he inflicted the
first prick of his signature, and then kept his hand upon Bill's while
the rest was done. This accordingly, he did, clumsily running the point
of the sharp bone so deep into the unfortunate Augusta that she fairly
shrieked aloud, and then keeping his hand upon the sailor's arm while he
worked in the rest of the signature, "_J. Meeson_." When it was done,
the turn of Johnnie came. Johnnie had at length aroused himself to some
interest in what was going on, and had stood by watching all the time,
since Mr. Meeson having laid his finger upon Augusta's shoulder, had
solemnly declared the writing thereon to be his last will and testament.
As he (Johnnie) could not tattoo, the same process was gone through with
reference to his signature, as in the case of Mr. Meeson. Then Bill Jones
signed his own name, as the second witness to the will; and just as the
light went out of the sky the document was finally executed--the date of
the execution being alone omitted. Augusta got up off the flat stone
where she had been seated during this torture for something like five
hours, and staggering into the hut, threw herself down upon the sail, and
went off into a dead faint. It was indeed only by a very strong exercise
of the will that she had kept herself from fainting long before.

The next thing she was conscious of was a dreadful smarting in her back,
and on opening her eyes found that it was quite dark in the hut. So