Chapter 30 - Page 2

which is quite interesting; and perhaps the account of the
battle might be suitable for one who dies in consequence of a battle; but,
on the whole, I remember my worthy old father used to say that a sinner
ought to be well shaken up at such a moment."

"I fancy, sir, Mr. Monday has been a reasonably steady man as the world
goes. Seeing that he is a passenger, I should try and ease him off
handsomely, and without any of these Methodist surges."

"You may be right, Leach, you may be right; do as foil would be done by is
the golden rule after all. But, here comes Mr. John Effingham; so I fancy
we may enter."

The captain was not mistaken, for Mr. Monday had just taken a
restorative, and had expressed a desire to see the two officers. The
state-room was a small, neat, and even beautifully finished apartment,
about seven feet square. It had originally been fitted with two berths;
but, previously to taking possession of the place, John Effingham had
caused the carpenter to remove the upper, and Mr. Monday now lay in what
had been the lower bed. This situation placed him below his attendant, and
in a position where he might be the more easily assisted. A shaded lamp
lighted the room, by means of which the captain caught the anxious
expression of the dying man's eye, as he took a seat himself.

"I am grieved to see you in this state, Mr. Monday." said the master, "and
this all the more since it has happened in consequence of your bravery in
fighting to regain my ship. By rights this accident ought to have befallen
one of the Montauk's people, or Mr. Leach, here, or even myself, before it
befel you."

Mr. Monday looked at the speaker as if the intended consolation had failed
of its effect, and the captain began to suspect that he should find a
difficult subject for his new ministrations. By way of gaining time, he
thrust an elbow into the mate's side as a hint that it was now his turn to
offer something.

"It might have been worse, Mr. Monday," observed Leach, shifting his
attitude like a man whose moral and physical action moved _pari passu:_
"it might have been much worse, I once saw a man shot in the under jaw,
and he lived a fortnight without any sort of nourishment!"

Still Mr. Monday gazed at the mate as if he thought matters could not be
much worse.

"That _was_ a hard case," put in the captain; "why, the poor fellow had no
opportunity to recover without victuals.

"No, sir, nor any drink. He never swallowed a mouthful of liquor of any
sort from the time he was hit, until he took the plunge when we threw him
overboard."

Perhaps there is truth in the saying that "misery loves