tearing what rags he had on him, raging in imprecations, and calling to
me that if I had thrown the gold overboard (always the gold with him!) I
might have saved the child. "And now," says he, in a terrible voice, "we
shall founder, and all go to the Devil, for our sins will sink us, when
we have no innocent child to bear us up!" We so discovered with
amazement, that this old wretch had only cared for the life of the pretty
little creature dear to all of us, because of the influence he
superstitiously hoped she might have in preserving him! Altogether it
was too much for the smith or armourer, who was sitting next the old man,
to bear. He took him by the throat and rolled him under the thwarts,
where he lay still enough for hours afterwards.

All that thirteenth night, Miss Coleshaw, lying across my knees as I kept
the helm, comforted and supported the poor mother. Her child, covered
with a pea-jacket of mine, lay in her lap. It troubled me all night to
think that there was no Prayer-Book among us, and that I could remember
but very few of the exact words of the burial service. When I stood up
at broad day, all knew what was going to be done, and I noticed that my
poor fellows made the motion of uncovering their heads, though their
heads had been stark bare to the sky and sea for many a weary hour. There
was a long heavy swell on, but otherwise it was a fair morning, and there
were broad fields of sunlight on the waves in the east. I said no more
than this: "I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord. He
raised the daughter of Jairus the ruler, and said she was not dead but
slept. He raised the widow's son. He arose Himself, and was seen of
many. He loved little children, saying, Suffer them to come unto Me and
rebuke them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. In His name, my
friends, and committed to His merciful goodness!" With those words I
laid my rough face softly on the placid little forehead, and buried the
Golden Lucy in the grave of the Golden Mary.