CHAPTER NINE.
ARCHY HAS A MASK TO PROTECT HIS EYES FROM SNOW-BLINDNESS, FROM WHICH ALLTHE REST SUFFER.--HE LEADS THEM BY A STRING, WHEN AN ESQUIMAUX ISDISCOVERED SEARCHING FOR SEALS, WHO BUILDS AN IGLOO, AND MELTING SOMESNOW, BATHES THE BLIND MEN'S EYES, AND PROVIDES FOR THEM.
Four human beings with heavy packs on their backs were making theirtoilsome way over the snow-covered surface of the frozen sea. One byone their companions had dropped. They had reached the wished forshore, but lofty ice-cliffs rose before them on which they had found ithopeless to seek for shelter of subsistence, and again they wereattempting to make their way to the southward. First the boat whichthey had dragged over so many leagues had been consumed for fuel, andthen the sledge was piece by piece burned to give them warmth in theirsnow-hut during the night. Archy had held out bravely; Andrew hadwonderfully been supported, ever with confidence seeking for aid fromabove, he felt that his own life and that of his companions depended onhis exertions. Foubister and David Saunders, one of the crew of the"Kate," encouraged by him had hitherto kept up their spirits, yet asthey looked ahead and saw the icy plain stretched out before them theymight well have given way to despair. They had just set out from thesnow-hut which had sheltered them during the night, and in which thelast chip of the sledge had been consumed. As the embers of their firedied out, Foubister, brave and determined man as he was, had exclaimed,"Why need we go further? It will only be to perish in a few hours ofcold, as the rest have done."
"Because it is our duty to trust to God and struggle to the last,"answered Andrew. "He may send us help when we least expect it. Let usgo on while life and strength remain."
Kneeling down, Andrew offered up an earnest prayer for protection, andthe whole party then strapping on their packs, with renewed strength setforward on their journey. Archy would probably have sunk under thehardships he was enduring had not his old friend supported and cheeredhim throughout. His other companions were also constant in theirkindness. They gave him a larger supply of food than they tookthemselves, and chafed his feet and dried his socks at the end of eachday's journey. They had also made him a mask to protect his face, of apiece of canvas lined with woollen stuff, having breathing places in itfor the nostrils and mouth, and two holes as small as possible for theeyes. He was surprised to find when he put it on how well he could seethrough those small holes. Neither he nor his friends were aware at thetime of their importance.
They had started before daylight, for the sky was clear and the moon andstars afforded them ample light to see their way. The sun at lengthrose above the horizon, and cast his brilliant rays over the sheet ofsnow. All the three men had, on the previous day, complained of apeculiar smarting of the eyes, but little did they think at the time ofwhat it portended. As they proceeded the smarting sensation increased,till at length David Saunders began to stumble, and exclaimed that allwas dark. His words struck dismay into the hearts of his companions,for both Andrew and Foubister had for some time found a difficulty inseeing objects before them, and in a short time the latter cried outthat he too was blind. It would have been certain death to stop, so,although Andrew himself was suffering intense pain, he urged hiscompanions to proceed, hoping still that they might discover someEsquimaux' huts on the shore, or find other means of preserving theirlives.
"And how do your eyes feel, Archy?" asked Andrew, in a voice whichshowed his anxiety.
"I have no pain, and can see as well as ever," answered Archy.
"Thank God," replied Andrew. "You must then be our guide, for I toohave lost my sight." Archy on hearing this felt ready to burst intotears.
"Oh! what can I do? How can I lead you?" he exclaimed.
"Trust in God and go straight on, lad. Here, take this line and we willhold on to it," he added uncoiling a short length of rope which hecarried at his side, and he put the end into Archy's hands. He andFoubister and Saunders then took hold of it, following each other inline.
"Now move on, Archy," said Andrew, "and keep a bright look out ahead, aswell as on the right hand and on the left. If you see anything likesmoke or little round hillocks near the shore, we may be certain thatnatives are there, or may be you will catch sight of the masts of a shipin the horizon, no fear of her getting away from us, for she will befast frozen in."
Thus cheered by the confiding faith of old Andrew and his dauntlesscourage, the party proceeded onwards over the ice-field, Archy's eyesalone, protected by his mask, escaping the snow-blindness. Every nowand then, with anxious voices, one or the other would cry out, "Do yousee anything ahead, Archy, any sign of Esquimauxs on the shore,--anyvessel in the distance?"
"No, I only see tall ice-cliffs on the left, and icebergs rising up hereand there out of the frozen sea," he answered. Several times on hearingthis Saunders declared it was useless to go on, and even Foubister onceproposed building a snow-hut as well as their blindness would allowthem, and then lying down within it to die.
"What! and let the poor lad who has still got his eyesight perish withus?" exclaimed Andrew. "Shame on you, mate. I did not think to hearsuch words come from your lips. No, no, while we have life its our dutyto go on, and if its God's will that we should die, let us die doing ourduty. If He pleases He can send us help and restore our eyesight, andHe has shown us pretty clearly that we must lean on Him and Him alone."
Thus rebuked, the honest carpenter did not allow another repining wordto escape him.
There was but little wind, and the air felt warm and pleasant. Reachinga small iceberg they all sat down, placed by Archy on a ledge under itsshelter to rest. He unpacked their wallets, and helped them to theirfood. By Andrew's direction, also with the carpenter's axe, he choppedoff a thin layer of ice from the berg. From this, when held up in thedirect rays of the sun, water dropped into their saucepan sufficientlyfast to quench the thirst from which they had before been suffering.They were not aware that they might greatly have relieved the pain intheir eyes by bathing them with the cold water. Revived by their mealthey again proceeded as before, yet what could they expect at the end oftheir day's journey? Could they hope to live through the night in anill-built snow-hut without fire, might it not too probably become theirtomb? Mile after mile was passed over, and still came the same answerfrom Archy to their constant inquiries. Night was approaching,--Andrewurged them to push on rather than stop, as long as they had strength tomove.
"If you wish, I will go on," said Archy, "or, I think, with your help Icould build a snow-hut and we could keep warm enough inside it without afire, I hope."
"No, no, on, on," said Andrew. "We will stop in time to build a hutbefore dark." So on again they went.
Suddenly Andrew felt the rope by which he was led slacken, when Archycried out, "Stop, I see something dark moving ahead."
"What is it, what is it, boy?" exclaimed the three men together.
"It seems to me like a seal," answered Archy. "But no--I don't think aseal would move in that way,--Hurrah! it is a man,--he has risen to hisfeet,--he sees us,--he is coming this way."
Archy hurried on, leading his companions. The stranger advanced towardsthem. When he was still at some distance he stopped and seemed to beexamining them, doubtful of their character. Archy raised his hands andbeckoning, the stranger once more drew near. From his dress and skinsand harpoon in his hand and a coil of line and spears hung to hisshoulders, Archy guessed that he was an Esquimaux engaged in searchingfor seals. He was accompanied by two dogs, who rushed forward barking,but retreated when called by their master. The native having apparentlysatisfied himself that the approaching party could do him no harm, cameup to them, and looked with an inquiring glance at their eyes. He atonce seemed to understand that they had been struck with snow-blindness,and he made signs to Archy that he could cure them. Archy inquiredwhere he lived, when he pointed to the south-east, and beckoning to him,led the way onwards. In a short time they reached a large seal whichthe hunter had apparently just killed; he pointed to it, and signifiedtha
t they were welcome to eat some of its flesh. Archy intimated thatthey were weary rather than hungry. The Esquimaux appeared quickly tomake up his mind what was best to be done. Clearing a space in the snowhe called Archy to assist him, and at once began to build an igloo. Hewas greatly delighted when Archy produced the carpenter's saw, andapparently well accustomed to its use, he set to work to shape out therequired blocks. In a short time a hut was completed, into which hedragged a considerable portion of the seal. From his capacious pockethe took a shallow bowl, in which he placed some moss wicks, and filledit with seal oil, produced by his chewing the blubber. A light wasquickly struck, and the much valued lamp soon shed a genial warmththrough the snow-formed habitation. A large lump of blubber hung overthe lamp, continued to feed it as the oil supplied by the first processwas exhausted. He now melted some snow in the seamen's saucepan, andexplained to Archy that if his blind friends would bathe their eyes inthe water their sight would be restored. They followed his advice, andat length the pain from which they were suffering gradually subsided.
The Esquimaux seemed greatly surprised at their preferring their owndried food to the raw blubber on which he and his dogs regaledthemselves. Yielding, however, to their prejudices, he heated somesteaks over the lamp, of which he hospitably pressed Archy to partake.Hunger induced him to follow his new friend's advice, and finding thesteaks far more palatable than he expected, he persuaded the rest of theparty to join in the repast.
"I don't know what it may look like," observed David Saunders, gulpingdown a huge lump. "But its not such bad eating after all, and I am muchobliged to you, friend Esquimaux, for your kindness."
"Friends," said Andrew, before they lay down to rest on their snowcouches, "let us thank God for His mercy in sending this kind native toour help. Oh! 'tis a blessed thing to know that He will never desertthose who trust in Him."
The Esquimaux seemed fully to understand what they were about, and kneltdown with them. Though they did not understand each other's language,yet their hearts were lifted up together to the same merciful Being, theGod alike of the dark-skinned Esquimaux and the civilised Englishman.
CHAPTER TEN.
THE ESQUIMAUX LEAVES, AND DOES NOT RETURN.--ALL ARE ABLE TO SEE, ANDPROCEED.--FIND BEARS BEFORE THEM, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE MASTS OF ASHIP ARE DISCOVERED.--PUSH ON, AND AT LAST ASSISTANCE ARRIVING, THEBEARS ARE KILLED, AND CAPTAIN IRVINE TAKES ARCHY ON BOARD THE "KATE,"THE REST FOLLOWING.--ADVENTURES OF THE "KATE"--SHUT UP IN THE ICE--SHORTPROVISIONS.--CAPTAIN DIES.--ICE OPENS, WHEN SAIL IS SET, AND THE CREW,ENDURING MUCH SUFFERING, THE "KATE" ARRIVES OFF UNST, AN ISLAND OFSHETLAND.--ARCHY, NOW TRULY REPENTANT, WRITES TO HIS MOTHER, AND WHENALL ON BOARD HAVE RECOVERED, STARTS FOR HOME.--HIS ARRIVAL ANDRECEPTION.
When Archy awoke he was somewhat alarmed on finding that the hunter andhis dogs had left the hut. The lamp was still burning, and a largepiece of seal's flesh lay on the floor. Archy hoped, therefore, thatthe Esquimaux's intentions were friendly, and that he did not purpose todesert them altogether. Andrew, when he awoke, expressed his opinionthat the hunter would certainly return. His and his companions' eyeswere still so painful, that having the means of procuring water theyresolved to wait in the hut till their sight was restored, and then totry and make their way to the village of their new friend. That theirconfidence in his honesty was not misplaced, was proved by his return inthe afternoon, when he and his dogs arrived, dragging another seal afterthem on a small sleigh, which he had probably before left at a distance.
He now intimated that his people at the village were in want of food,and that after eating and resting, he must go away to them; but hesignified that he would soon again return; and as a proof of his goodintentions, left them a large portion of the first seal that he hadkilled.
Long before dawn the next morning the hunter set off. That day, thoughone of suffering, was passed in thankfulness by the shipwrecked seamen.Their lives had been preserved, food had been supplied to them, and theymight now hope, even if they could not reach the Danish settlements, topass the winter in safety in the camp of the friendly natives.
Two days passed by, and the hunter did not return. The eyes of thethree men were free from pain, and when they awoke after the third nightof their sojourn in the hut, they could see clearly. Archy, withunwearied diligence, had tended to all their wants, and he hadfrequently gone out to look for the expected return of the hunter,whenever they had expressed anxiety on the subject. At length theyagreed that if he did not appear that evening, to set out withoutwaiting for him longer, as their supply of blubber was nearly exhausted,and without it they could not keep their lamp burning. The morningcame; still the hunter did not appear. Packing up, therefore, the lampwith its wicks, and every particle of blubber they could scrapetogether, they again set out. They soon found it necessary, however, totie some spare comforters round their heads, to shade their eyes fromthe glare of the sun, the pricking sensation, the prelude tosnow-blindness, again quickly returning.
After travelling for some hours, they looked out anxiously for the hutsof the Esquimaux they expected to see. The traces of their friend'ssledge and footsteps had been entirely obliterated by a fall of snow, sothat they had not the benefit of them as a guide; still they went on.Frequently icebergs rose up in their course, and at length these becameso numerous that they were completely bewildered among them. After atime they emerged again into a more open space, when Archy, whose quickeyes were ever on the alert, cried out that he saw three objects movingsome way ahead.
"They are bears, I do believe," he exclaimed, "and they seem as if theywere digging into the snow with their snouts." After going on a littlefurther the rest agreed that he was right. Andrew got his rifle ready.
"If we attempt to run the creatures will follow--it's their nature to doso. We must try and kill one of them, and frighten the others away.Show a bold front, friends, and we may yet escape their claws."
While Andrew had been speaking Archy had cast his eyes westward.
"Look, look," he exclaimed. "I see the masts of a ship rising upagainst the yellow sky, near where the sun has just gone down."
Forgetting for the moment about the bears, the whole party turned theireyes in the direction Archy pointed.
"You are right, boy--praise heaven for it," said Andrew. "Though myeyes are weak I see the masts clearly. She must have been caught in thefloe before she could make her way into harbour for shelter. We mayreach her this night, and we will try to give the bears the go-bywithout interfering with them."
The thought of a friendly greeting from countrymen, and a warm cabin andwholesome food, after all their toils, raised the spirits of the wearyseamen. They once more pushed forward, making a circuit to avoid thesavage animals, and then directed their course towards the ship. Thelong twilight enabled them to keep the masts in sight for a considerabletime, and they were then able to steer by a star, which shone forth justabove the ship. They did not fail, however, very frequently, to turntheir heads over their shoulders to ascertain whether they were pursued.
"If the bears track us, we must turn round and face them boldly," saidAndrew. "Ever meet Satan, and all spiritual foes in the same way, lad,and they will flee from you," added the old man, putting his hand onArchy's shoulder.
On and on they went, often stumbling over inequalities in the ice, whichthe increased darkness prevented them from perceiving. Still theystruggled forward, hope urging them on. Although the ship could nolonger be seen, they felt confident that she was before them, and thatthey must, if they persevered, reach her at last. The cold was intense,but, weary as they were, they dared not sit down lest their limbs mightbecome benumbed, and might refuse to carry them forward. They knew,too, that the savage bears might be following in their track withstealthy steps, and might at any moment be close upon them. Hoursseemed to pass away. It was impossible to calculate time. Theirguiding star shone brightly from the sky; still as yet their strainingeyes could not make out the looked for ship.
; "We cannot now be far off from her," observed Andrew, "for we havesteered too straight a course to pass by her. Archy, you have thesharpest eyes among us, can't you make her out, lad?"
"Yes, yes, I see her," he suddenly exclaimed; "but her deck seems to behoused in, and snow covers the roof, and I took it to be a low iceberg.Now I can make out the masts and rigging rising above it--she cannot bemore than a mile away."
"Cheer up, friends, we will soon reach her then," cried Andrew. "If wewere to give a hearty shout, those on board would hear us."
"I hope they may, and send us help," exclaimed Saunders, "for here comethe bears, and they will be upon us in another minute."
On hearing this Andrew unslung his rifle, and turning round, observed alarge white animal, scarcely to be distinguished from the snow, notforty paces off, stealing towards them. To fly towards the ship, closeas they were to her, would have invited the bears to pursue at a fasterspeed. Facing their foes, they halted, as they proposed--the bearsstopped also, sitting down on their haunches to watch their proceedings.
"Archy, run on, and shout as you go--the watch on deck may hear you, andassistance may be sent to us in case we fail to beat off the bears."
Archy ran on as he was directed. At length he got the ship clearly insight, but still she seemed a long, long way off. He stopped, however,and shouted with all his might. No reply came, but he heard behind hima cry, and then a shot fired. He knew that it must be from Andrew'sgun. Once more he pushed forward, though his legs were ready to sinkbeneath him. Just then the moon arose bright and full. He had stoppedto give another shout, when, looking back to see if his friends werecoming, he discovered, to his dismay, a bear stealing towards him. Heremembered Andrew's caution, not to fly, and bravely facing the animal,he clapped his hands together, shouting even louder than before, in thehopes of frightening it away. At that instant a hail came from theship--he hailed in return. The bear stopped, apparently astonished atthe strange sounds which met its ears. Directly afterwards another hailwas heard, and turning his head for an instant, he caught sight of aparty of men coming towards him from the ship. The bear seemedunwilling to encounter so many foes, and began slowly to retreat. Inanother minute Archy was surrounded by a number of men, shouting to himin well-known tones.
"My friends out there want your help," said Archy, not stopping toexplain who he was.
They all had arms in their hands--while some stopped to fire at theretreating bear, others run on in the direction indicated. Some of thebullets took effect, and the bear was seen to drop on the snow. Whilemost of them dashed forward towards the wounded bear, one of themremained by Archy.
"Where do you come from, lad--who are you?" he asked. Archy, with abounding heart, recognised the voice. It was that of Captain Irvine.
"I am Archy Hughson, sir, and Andrew Scollay, and David Saunders, andFoubister, the carpenter of a ship which took us on board, are outthere--I hope the bears have not hurt them."
"I trust not," said the captain; "but come along, laddie, to the ship--tell me more as you go. You seem scarcely able to stand."
Archy was, indeed, gasping for breath, and well nigh dropping fromfatigue and excitement. The kind captain supporting him, they madetheir way toward the ship; but Archy, though he tried to speak, had lostall power of utterance. One of the other men came quickly to theirassistance, and Archy was lifted on board, and placed in the captain'scabin, under the care of Dr Sinclair. In a short time the rest of theparty arrived, bringing Andrew and Foubister unhurt, though well nighexhausted; but poor Saunders had been severely wounded by one of thebears, two of which had, however, been killed.
Andrew, on being carried below, soon somewhat recovered. His first actwas to kneel down, when, lifting up his hands, he returned thanks tothat all powerful and merciful God who had preserved him and hiscompanions.
"Shipmates," he said, as he observed the look of astonishment with whichsome of those who stood around regarded him. "Had you gone through thedangers we have encountered, and been preserved from them to reach theship again, you would feel that it was not your own arm, or your ownstrength had saved you, but He, who not only takes care of the bodies ofus sinful and ungrateful creatures, but is willing and ready to save ourimmortal souls alive."
Archy remained for some days in a state of unconsciousness, but underthe care of Dr Sinclair he gradually recovered. The captain treatedhim with the greatest kindness.
"I have heard all about you, Archy," he said, "and I don't speak to younow to blame you for your conduct in leaving home. I'll leave it toyour own conscience to do so. God, in His mercy, has led you throughsevere trials and hardships, and has mercifully preserved your life,that you may, I trust, henceforth devote it to His service, and not, asheretofore, to that of Satan. Ever remember, Archy, that we `cannotserve two masters'--we must be either Christ's loving subjects, and obeyHis laws, or we must be Satan's slaves, and do his will--he is a hard,and oftentimes a very cunning task-master. Most of his slaves, whilefollowing their own devices and inclinations, and, as they may fancy,doing no great harm, are in reality carrying out his objects. He blindstheir eyes, and they are thus easily led captive by his emissaries, justas you were led away, as I have since discovered, by that unhappy man,Max Inkster. God's ways are inscrutable. He has been allowed toperish, I fear, in his sins, while your life has been preserved. Then,again I say, my boy, `Pray without ceasing,' that God's Holy Spirit maystrengthen and support you to walk in His ways, and to obey His holylaws."
Archy assured the captain that such was his wish, and that, feeling hisown weakness, he would ever seek for strength from above.
"You will need it now, and throughout life," said Captain Irvine,solemnly. "To God alone can we look for sure help, in time of need, inall our temporal difficulties, much more then in our spiritual trials.I would that all on board the ship knew this--it would sustain them inthe many dangers and the hardships they must be called on to endure. Wehave now been well nigh a month shut up in the ice, and must expect toremain nearly eight months longer. We had provisions only at the usualrate of consumption for three months, and therefore from the day theship was frozen up, I was compelled to place the crew on shortallowance. Our fuel, too, will be exhausted long before the ice breaksup. When that time comes, should the weather prove tempestuous, theship will be exposed to fearful danger from the huge masses of icetossed about by the waves, or from being driven against the icebergswhich may appear in her course. With the crew weakened as ours will ofnecessity be by that time, how little able shall we be of ourselves tocontend against the perils which will surround us. I tell you this,Archy, that you may be induced more completely to trust to theprotection of that God who can alone enable us to escape them."
Archy at length recovered his strength. Some time had passed before hediscovered that the captain, and Andrew, and one or two other persons,had given up to him a portion of their own scanty allowance of food.When he found this out, he begged that he might not have a larger sharethan the rest.
"You, a growing lad, want it more than we do," said Andrew. "And I, forone, feel that if it had not been for you we should have been left todie on the ice far away from this. The crew also said that you enabledthem to kill one of the two bears they got the night of our return."
The want of sufficient food at length began to tell on the frames of thehardy seamen. Parties constantly went out hunting in the hopes ofkilling seals or bears, but notwithstanding all their skill in capturingthe mighty whale, they were unable to catch the wary seals at theirblow-holes in the ice, although they succeeded, after a long chase, inobtaining two more bears, who had been tempted by hunger to approach theship. They were disappointed in receiving no visits from the Esquimaux.Andrew feared truly that the friendly native who had come to theirrescue, had himself, on his return, fallen a victim to the savageanimals who had followed them when making their way to the ship.
The occurrences on board the "Kate" during that long winter cannot bedeta
iled at length. That dreaded disease, the scurvy, produced by saltprovisions and want of vegetable diet, broke out among the crew; morethan half were laid up by it, and unable to quit their beds; the goodcaptain himself was also taken ill--he had been long suffering from adisease caught when the ship was first entrapped by the ice, and when itwas expected that she would be crushed to pieces, as the "Laplander" hadbeen. Archy had now the satisfaction of repaying his kindness, bywatching over him, as a dutiful son would tend a father. He scarcelyever left his side. Much of the time was spent in reading the Bible,the dying captain's consolation and joy. Again and again he urged onArchy the advice he had before given. Archy did not vow, as some mighthave done, that he would follow it, but as he knelt by the captain'sbedside, he earnestly prayed that he might have grace to do so. Thecaptain, feeling that his hours were numbered, desired to bid farewellto his crew. It was a sad sight to see the once hardy strong men passin and out of the cabin--to observe the tottering steps and the palethin cheeks of most of them. The captain had a word of exhortation andadvice for each, and many felt the solemn importance of his words.
The good captain was the first to die, and the doctor feared that erelong several others would sink under the disease from which theysuffered. A deep gloom settled on most of the crew, but there was lightand brightness in old Andrew's cabin, which he endeavoured to shedabroad. That light came from within. It arose from his firm faith inGod's loving mercy and protecting providence. "Do not despair, mates,"he said, over and over again. "God has thought fit to take our goodcaptain, who has changed this cold bleak scene for one of brightness andglory in that better land aloft there, where there is room for each oneof us too, if we will consent to become the subjects of the being whorules there; but He may not think fit as yet to call us there, though weare His subjects here below. If He does not want us, he will find themeans of carrying our ship in safety home."
Month after month passed by; though suffering from hunger, and intensecold from want of fuel, the crew held out. The ice began to move muchearlier in the year than had been expected. A strong gale sprung upfrom the northward--huge masses of ice rose and fell around the ship--now as they crashed away, an open channel appeared ahead. Sail was set,though not without difficulty, as few were able to go aloft. The water,too, as the ship began to move, rushed in through many a leak, and thepumps were set to work. Now it seemed as if she was again about to beimprisoned--then once more the ice broke away, and she continued hercourse. But of her whole crew, scarcely six were fitted for work. Manywere sick in bed, unable to move; others could just crawl to the pumps,and work them with their feeble arms. The brave doctor, who hadretained his strength, exerted himself to the utmost--now standing atthe helm, now assisting in making sail, now taking a turn at the pumps,in addition to his duties among the sick. Archy, who had also retainedhis strength, felt no little satisfaction on finding that he was of asmuch use as his older shipmates.
At length the ship was free; but alas, many of the poor fellows who hadhitherto held out, sank quickly under the fatal disease from which theyhad long been suffering. One by one they sank, till ten had diedbesides the captain.
The voyage home was almost as trying as their detention in the ice.Scarcely a drop of water remained, their stock of provisions was wellnigh exhausted, every particle of fuel had been consumed, while theirnumbers were daily diminishing, their strength decreasing, and the watergaining on the pumps. Still they struggled, like brave men, to thelast.
"Surely we cannot be far off the land?" said Andrew, one morning toArchy.
"I'll go aloft and have a look out," answered Archy; and he made his wayto the mast-head.
His heart bounded as he caught sight, in the far distance, of blue hillsrising out of the tossing waters. The welcome cry he uttered brought ondeck all who had strength sufficient to crawl out of their berths. Theship was steered in the direction towards which Archy pointed, thebreeze was favourable, and in a short time the well-known headlands andpoints of Unst, the most northern isle of Shetland, appeared in sight.Before evening the anchor was dropped in one of the deep voes which runup far inland all round the coast. The inhabitants of the village, onits shores, gazed with astonishment at the battered vessel, and the wayin which the sails, which the crew had not strength to furl, flutteredfrom the yards. In a short time a number of boats, with friendlyvisitors, were on board, and the news was sent to Lerwick that the longmissing "Kate" had returned. Archy sent a few lines to his mother; hesigned his note, "from your repentant son," but he trembled lest she towhom it was addressed might no longer be alive to receive it. A portionof the crew, able to bear the journey were the next day sent onoverland; the brave surgeon, however, refused to quit the sick anddying.
"I will stay and help you, sir," said old Andrew. "God has preserved mystrength, and it is my duty to employ it in tending to my sufferingfellow creatures; and though there are many at home ready to welcome me,the welcome will come more warmly to my heart when I feel that I havenot left undone what I ought to have done."
"And may I likewise stay?" said Archy. "What Andrew thinks is right ismy duty also."
Not till the sick had recovered sufficiently to be taken on shore didAndrew and Archy set out on their journey to the south. As they werestarting a letter was put into Archy's hands. He eagerly read it. Itwas from his mother. Although his transgression had caused herunspeakable sorrow, she had never ceased to pray that God would protecthim amid the dangers he would encounter, and that his heart might bechanged and a new spirit put within him.
"You are welcome back, my boy. God alone can forgive sin, and if youhave sought forgiveness in His appointed way, sure I am that it has notbeen refused." This letter cheered Archy on his homeward journey, andwhen at length he found himself in his mother's arms, and Maggie hanginground his neck, he wondered how he could have been so hard-hearted as toquit them; and he promised that he would henceforth remain at home toassist and support them. He felt, indeed, that he could never makeamends for the suffering and anxiety he had caused his mother, to whichhe acknowledged that the hardships he had endured were in comparisonnothing.
Archy had learned many important lessons, and above all, the greattruth, that He who rules the world is a God of justice, and also ofunbounded love and mercy; and although, in His justice, He allows theobstinate and perverse to perish in their sins, He will hear the prayersand abundantly bless all who humbly come to Him seeking for forgivenessand protection.
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