We were past mustering a story now; but one day, at about this period, I
reverted to the superstition of old Mr. Rarx, concerning the Golden Lucy,
and told them that nothing vanished from the eye of God, though much
might pass away from the eyes of men. "We were all of us," says I,
"children once; and our baby feet have strolled in green woods ashore;
and our baby hands have gathered flowers in gardens, where the birds were
singing. The children that we were, are not lost to the great knowledge
of our Creator. Those innocent creatures will appear with us before Him,
and plead for us. What we were in the best time of our generous youth
will arise and go with us too. The purest part of our lives will not
desert us at the pass to which all of us here present are gliding. What
we were then, will be as much in existence before Him, as what we are
now." They were no less comforted by this consideration, than I was
myself; and Miss Coleshaw, drawing my ear nearer to her lips, said,
"Captain Ravender, I was on my way to marry a disgraced and broken man,
whom I dearly loved when he was honourable and good. Your words seem to
have come out of my own poor heart." She pressed my hand upon it,
smiling.

Twenty-seven nights and twenty-six days. We were in no want of
rain-water, but we had nothing else. And yet, even now, I never turned
my eyes upon a waking face but it tried to brighten before mine. O, what
a thing it is, in a time of danger and in the presence of death, the
shining of a face upon a face! I have heard it broached that orders
should be given in great new ships by electric telegraph. I admire
machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be
for what it does for us. But it will never be a substitute for the face
of a man, with his soul in it, encouraging another man to be brave and
true. Never try it for that. It will break down like a straw.