over Findlayson, the Chief Engineer, whose duty was with his bridge.
The heavy raindrops struck him with a thousand tingling little
thrills, and the weight of all time since time was made hung heavy
on his eyelids. He thought and perceived that he was perfectly
secure, for the water was so solid that a man could surely step out
upon it, and, standing still with his legs apart to keep his
balance - this was the most important point - would be borne with
great and easy speed to the shore. But yet a better plan came to
him. It needed only an exertion of will for the soul to hurl the
body ashore as wind drives paper, to waft it kite-fashion to the
bank. Thereafter - the boat spun dizzily - suppose the high wind
got under the freed body? Would it tower up like a kite and pitch
headlong on the far-away sands, or would it duck about, beyond
control, through all eternity? Findlayson gripped the gunnel to
anchor himself, for it seemed that he was on the edge of taking
the flight before he had settled all his plans. Opium has more
effect on the white man than the black. Peroo was only
comfortably indifferent to accidents. "She cannot live," he
grunted. "Her seams open already. If she were even a dinghy with
oars we could have ridden it out; but a box with holes is no good.
Finlinson Sahib, she fills."

"Accha! I am going away. Come thou also."

In his mind, Findlayson had already escaped from the boat, and was
circling high in air to find a rest for the sole of his foot. His
body - he was really sorry for its gross helplessness - lay in the
stern, the water rushing about its knees.

"How very ridiculous!" he said to himself, from his eyrie - "that