Nobody pitched the tune, nor
started it--it started itself! Mrs. Campbell sang it on her knees,
with streaming eyes and hair, the captain and his daughters sang it
locked in each other's arms, and the Traveler, seeing Lady Moreham left
momently alone, clasped her hand in brotherly fashion, and joined his
fine bass to her uncultivated treble, never thinking of discords. So
may the Redeemed some day sing the Doxology in Heavenly courts, safe
not only from death, but better still, safe from the life we know of
here!
When the "Amen," had died into silence the captain said, happily,
"Now, good people, get yourselves to bed as quick as you can. The
storm is over, the fire is out, and though the poor old girl is so
battered up she's lost her beauty, her heart's still in the right
place--her engines are working all right, in spite of the cyclone! Now
hustle, every one of you--breakfast won't be served till ten
o'clock--and Heaven bless and keep us all!"
CHAPTER XVIII.
LAST DAYS TOGETHER.
There was something indescribably disheartening in the looks of the
dismasted "International" as the twins came forth, refreshed by several
hours of welcome slumber, after the long agony of the past night. The
carpenters were already hard at work cutting away the sad remnants of
the graceful, tapering mizzen-mast, which had been one of the beauties
of the comely steamer, and a considerable space had been cleared for
the passengers over which awnings were stretched; but the approach to
it was somewhat choked and difficult.
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