VERY HARD CASH.
BY THE AUTHOR OF "IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND."

CHAPTER LVII.

JUST before noon next day, on board the
Vulture, the bell on which the half-hours are struck
was tolled slowly to collect the ship's company;
and soon the gangways and booms were crowded,
and even the yards were manned with sailors,
collected to see their shipmate committed to the
deep. Next came the lieutenants and midshipmen
and stood reverently on the deck: the body
was brought and placed on a grating. Then all
heads being uncovered below and aloft, the
chaplain read the solemn service of the dead.

Many tears were shed by the rough sailors,
the more so that to most of them, though not to
the officers, it was now known that poor Billy
had not always been before the mast, but had
seen better days, and commanded vessels, and
saved lives; and now he had lost his own.

The service is the same as ashore, with this
exception: that the words "We commit his
body to the ground, ashes to ashes, dust to dust,
&c.," are altered at sea, thus: "We commit his
body to the deep, to be turned into corruption,
looking for the resurrection of the body, when
the sea shall give up her dead, and the life of the
world to come." At these words the body is
allowed to glide off the grating into the sea.
The chaplain's solemn voice drew near those very
words, and the tears of pity fell faster; and
Georgie White, an affectionate boy, sobbed
violently, and shivered beforehand at the sullen
plunge that he knew would soon come, and then
he should see no more poor Billy who had given
his life for his.

At this moment the captain came flying on
deck, and jumping on to a gun, cried sharply,
"Avast! Haul that body aboard."

The sharp voice of command cut across the
solemn words and tones in the most startling
way. The chaplain closed his book with a look
of amazement and indignation: the sailors stared,
and for the first time did not obey an order. To
be sure it was one they had never heard before.
Then the captain got angry, and repeated his
command louder; and the body was almost
jerked in board.

"Carry him to my cabin; and uncover his face."

By this time nothing could surprise Jackey
Tar. Four sailors executed the order promptly.

"Bosen, pipe to duty."

While the men were dispersing to their several
stations, Captain Bazalgette apologised to the
chaplain, and explained to him and to the officers.
But I give his explanation in my own words.
Finding the ship quiet, the purser went to the
captain down below, and asked him coolly what
entry he should make in the ship's books about
this William Thompson, who was no more
William Thompson than he was. " What do you
mean?" said the captain. Then the purser told
him that Thompson's messmates, in preparing
him last night for interment, had found a little
bag round his neck, and inside it a medal of the
Humane Society, and a slip of paper written on
in a lady's hand; then they had sent for him;
and he had seen at once that this was a mysterious
case: this lady spoke of him as her husband,
and skipper of a merchant vessel.

"What is that?" roared the captain, who
hitherto had listened with scarce half an ear.

"Skipper of a merchant vessel, sir, as sure as
you command her Majesty's frigate Vulture:
and then we found his shirt marked with the same
name as the lady's."

"What was the lady's name?"

"Lucy Dodd; and David Dodd is on the
shirt."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" cried
the captain.

"Didn't know it till last night."

"Why it is twelve o'clock. They are burying
him."

"Yes, sir."

"Lucy would never forgive me," cried the
captain. And to the purser's utter amazement he
clapped on his cocked-hat, and flew out of the
cabin on the errand I have described.

He now descended to the cabin and looked:
a glance was enough : there lay the kindly face
that had been his friend man and boy.

He hid his own with his hands, and moaned.
He cursed his own blindness and stupidity in
not recognising that face among a thousand. In
this he was unjust to himself. David had never
looked himself till now.

He sent for the surgeon, and told him the
whole sad story: and asked him what could be
done. His poor cousin Lucy had more than