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 sleep for noise of wind and sea. And in the small hours of an autumn morning, as I lay here, just where we lie now, I heard such wailing cries above the storm—ay, and such shrieks of women—as made my blood run cold, and have not yet forgot them. And so I woke the gang, who were all deep asleep, as seasoned contrabandiers should be; but though we knew that there were fellow-creatures fighting for their lives in the seething flood beneath us, we could not stir hand or foot to save them, for nothing could be seen for rain and spray, and 'twas not till next morning that we learned the Florida had foundered just below with every soul on board. Ay, 'tis a queer life, and you and Block are in a queer strait now, and that is what I came to tell you. See here." And he took out of his pocket an oblong strip of printed paper:—

"There—that's the bill," he said; "and a vastly fine