less frightened, as a child is frightened, by the mere picture. And
I have still the impression that, as hour followed hour since the
falling of the wind, the nauseous swell in part subsided. I seemed
less often on an eminence or in a pit; my glassy azure dales had
gentler slopes, or a distemper was melting from my eyes.

At least I know that I had now less work to keep my frail ship trim,
though this also may have come by use and practice. In the beginning
one or other of my legs had been for ever trailing in the sea, to
keep the hen-coop from rolling over the other way; in fact, as I
understand they steer the toboggan in Canada, so I my little bark.
Now the necessity for this was gradually decreasing; whatever the
cause, it was the greatest mercy the day had brought me yet. With
less strain on the attention, however, there was more upon the mind.
No longer forced to exert some muscle twice or thrice a minute, I
had time to feel very faint, and yet time to think. My soul flew
homing to its proper prison. I was no longer any unit at unequal
strife with the elements; instincts common to my kind were no longer
my only stimulus. I was my poor self again; it was my own little
life, and no other, that I wanted to go on living;, and yet I felt
vaguely there was some special thing I wished to live for, something
that had not been very long in my ken; something that had perhaps
nerved and strengthened me all these hours. What, then, could it
be? I could not think.

For moments or for minutes I wondered stupidly, dazed as I was.
Then I remembered - and the tears gushed to my eyes. How could I
ever have forgotten? I deserved it all, all, all! To think that
many a time we must have sat together on this very coop! I kissed
its blistering edge at the thought, and my tears ran afresh, as