" Most of the gentlemen joined in the responses, and the silvery
voice of Eve sounded sweet and holy amid the breathings of the ocean. _Te
Deum Laudamus,_ "We praise thee, O God! we acknowledge thee to be the
Lord!" "All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting;" closed
the offices, when Mr. Effingham dismissed his congregation with the usual
layman's request for the benediction.
Captain Truck had never before been so deeply impressed with any religious
ceremony, and when it ceased he looked wistfully over the side at the spot
where the body had fallen, or where it might be supposed to have fallen---
for the ship had drifted some distance--as one takes a last look at the
grave of a friend.
"Shall we fill the main-topsail, sir?" demanded Mr. Leach, after waiting
a minute or two in deference to his commander's feelings; "or shall we
hook on the yard-tackles, and stow the launch?"
"Not yet, Leach; not yet. It will be unkind to poor Jack to hurry away
from his grave so indecently. I have observed that the people about the
river always keep in sight till the last sod is stowed, and the rubbish is
cleared away. The fine fellow stood to those spokes as a close-reefed
topsail in a gale stands the surges of the wind, and we owe him this
little respect.
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