Thus resting in meditative silence, Lieutenant Mordaunt’s attention was attracted by a strange object floating on the now calm ocean.  There were no ships near, and Mordaunt felt his eyes fascinated in that direction, and looking still more attentively, he felt convinced it was a human body secured to a plank.  He sought the captain instantly, and used every persuasion humanity could dictate to urge him to lower a boat.  For some time he entreated in vain.  Captain Bartholomew said it was mere folly to think there was any chance of saving a man’s life, who had been so long tossed about on the water, it would be only detaining him for nothing; his ship was already too full either for comfort or profit, and he would not do it.

Fire flashed from the dark eyes of Mordaunt at the captain’s positive and careless language, and he spoke again with all the spirited eloquence of a British sailor.  He did not spare the cruel recklessness that could thus refuse to save a fellow-creature’s life, merely because it might occasion a little delay and trouble.  Captain Bartholomew looked at him in astonishment; he little expected such a burst of indignant feeling from one whose melancholy and love of solitude he had despised; and, without answering a word, led the way to the deck, looked in the direction of the plank, which had now floated near enough to the ship for the body of Edward to be clearly visible upon it, and then instantly commanded a boat to be lowered and bring it on board.

“It will be but taking him out of the sea to plunge him back again, Senor,” he said, in Spanish, to the Lieutenant, who was now anxiously watching the proceedings of the sailors, who, more active than their captain, had carefully laid the plank and its burden at the bottom of the boat, and were now rapidly rowing to the ship.  “Never was death more clearly imprinted on a man’s countenance than it is there, but have your own will; only do not ask me to keep a dead man on board, I should have my men mutiny in a twinkling.”

Mordaunt made him no answer, but hastened towards the gangway, where the men were now ascending.  They carefully unloosed the bonds that attached the body to the plank, and laid him on a pile of cushions where the light of the setting sun shone full on his face and form.  One glance sufficed for Mordaunt to perceive he was an English officer; another caused him to start some paces back in astonishment.  As the youth thus lay, the deadly paleness of his countenance, the extreme fairness of his throat and part of his neck, which, as the sailors hastily untied his neckcloth and opened his jacket, were fully exposed to view, the beautifully formed brow strewed by thick masses of golden curls gave him so much the appearance of a delicate female, that the sailors looked humorously at each other, as if wondering what right he had to a sailor’s jacket; but Mordaunt’s eyes never moved from him.  Thoughts came crowding over him, so full of youth, of home and joy, that tears