in a thousand to be rescued. Had he fallen overboard without much
notice, the ship would have gone right on--Why should a world be stopped
in its even course to save one soul?--but too many had seen this. Signal
bells were rung, the engines slowed down, and then stopped. Lights
flashed here and there, other officers of higher rank came on the scene;
a boat fully manned was lowered. It bobbed up and down on the waves like
a cork. Back into the track of the ship it went, and was soon lost to
view.

The search was continued for an hour, then given up. No trace of the
man could be found. The small boat was raised to the deck, the engine
moved again, and the big ship went on its way.

Chester lingered among the steerage, passengers and listened to the
story of the lost man who, it seems, had been one of those unfortunate
ones who had failed to pass the health inspector at New York and had
therefore been sent back to his native land, Ireland. He was known as
Mike, what else, no one could tell. And the woman? Poor girl, she had
wandered in her night dress to the ship's side, and in some unknown way
had gotten overboard as far as the protruding piece of iron. How Mike
had reached her, or how long they had occupied their perilous position,
no one could tell. He was gone, and the woman was saved to her husband
and her baby.

The night was growing late; but there was no sleep for Chester. Many of
the passengers, having been awakened by the stopping of the ship, were
up, hurriedly dressed, and enquiring what the trouble was. Chester met
Elder Malby in the companion-way.

"What's the matter?" asked the Elder.