"What a grand place heaven must be!" thought Charlie, remembering what he had heard at Sunday school. "How splendid God's angels must look, floating about in that beautiful light, with their white robes and crowns of gold!" Charlie went on thinking and thinking much in the same strain, until at last the ship was neared.
Morley Scott brought in his oars with a sudden movement, and springing up in the boat, hailed the ship, "Refuge ahoy!"
CHAPTER II.
GOING HOME.
T is more than hour since we left Morley Scott hailing the Refuge. How is it that the ship has not been moved yet? And here is the little boat turned homeward, and strangers have the charge of it.
Is Charlie asleep, that he lies there so pale and still? he has not moved once since we looked. And that something lying in the boat, covered by a ship's colour, what can it be? The night air is damp and chill, and the sea looks grey and deadly in the twilight.
One of the sailors leans forward to look at Charlie. "Poor little one," he murmurs, in a kind but sad tone.
"I wish we were yonder," said the other sailor, moving his head in the direction of the town. "I don't like the look of that boy at all; it may only be fainting, but it looks to me more like death than anything else."