'I will remain with you, Basil, to the end,' was her reply. She seemed to be suffering from no disease, but simply to be fading away like a flower. Her heart was broken, and she was slowly but surely dying. One night she was standing upon deck, gazing out over the moonlit waters. The schooner was in the Mexican Guif, cruising 'Jowly under a four-knot breeze, and the air was bilmy and soothing. The crew were f rward, several of them singing some touching melody, and Basil the Bucca neer was in the cabin, looking over his gains, as he called the sales of his piratical booty. The sinking of the men forward touched Celeste deeply. The four seamen who were singing had fine voices, and their comrades were all silent, listening as though under a spell. Perhaps it carried them back through their wicked lives and touched their consciences It fell upon the heart of poor Celeste like a death-knell. She trembled

'There comes Randolph's boat!' suddenly called out the lieutenant; and he pointed to where a boat from the vessel-of-war was discerned under sail, heading out from the town. ' He should not have started in the teeth of this coming tempest,' said one.
