'Oh where will I find a little wee boy
Will tak my helm in hand,
Till I gae up to my top mast
And see for some dry land.'
SIR PATRICK SPENS.

It was bad enough on the deck of the unfortunate Genoese tartane, but
far worse below, where eight persons were shut into the stifling
atmosphere of the cabin, deprived of the knowledge of what was going on
above, except from the terrific sounds they heard. Estelle, on being
shut into the cabin, announced that the Phoenician ship was taken by
the vessels of Sesostris, but this did not afford any one else the same
satisfaction as she appeared to derive from it. Babette and Rosette
were echoing every scream of the crew, and quite certain that all would
be massacred, and little Ulysse, wakened by the hubbub, rolled round in
his berth and began to cry.

Madame de Bourke, very white, but quite calm, insisted on silence and
then said, 'I do not think the danger is very great to ourselves if you
will keep silence and not attract attention. But our hope is in
Heaven. My brother, will you lead our prayers? Recite our office.'
Obediently the Abbe fell on his knees, and his example was followed by
the others. His voice went monotonously on throughout with the Latin.
The lady, no doubt, followed in her heart, and she made the responses
as did the others, fitfully; but her hands and eyes were busy, looking
to the priming of two small pistols, which she took out of her jewel
case, and the sight of which provoked fresh shrieks from the maids.
Mademoiselle Julienne meantime was dressing Ulysse, and standing guard
over him, Estelle watching all with eager bright eyes, scarcely
frightened, but burning to ask questions, from which her uncle's