A NIGHT'S PERIL. 



tasy of a dreaming spirit presented to my ear the 

 lamentations of my friends. As waking, I had 

 thought in the hour of peril of some one or two who 

 would lament my sad doom ; so in my sleep I went 

 yet a step beyond this, and seemed to hear the utter- 

 ance of the lamentations. These waxed more and 

 more distinct, till the reality of them broke the spell 

 of dreams. I awoke, and yet heard the same 

 conversation. 



" Poor fellow ! what a dreadful thing ! " said one 

 voice. 



" Shocking ! " said another, which I knew to be 

 that of my old boating antagonist, the first lieutenant 

 of the Bucephalus. " Shocking ! I always prophe- 

 sied that that craft would be his coffin, but little did 

 I think my words would come true." 



The good fellow actually wept as he spoke. 



"And that poor fellow Hamilton, who scarcely 

 ever set foot afloat ! " 



"Well, they're both gone, but not without our 

 doing all we could to give them a chance that's one 

 comfort." 



I was now fully awake to the conscioiisness that I 

 was alive and well and to the understanding that 

 these mates of mine were lamenting my loss. I did 

 not waste any words in endeavouring to convince 

 them that they were mistaken, but, jumping out of 

 bed, I stood before them. The men stared as if they 

 had seen a veritable ghost, but recovering themselves 



