Межзвёздный скиталец

           ItwasGod’swill,andweHispoorcreaturescouldonlyobeyandfulfilHiswill.Andyet,Godwaskind.InHisall-kindnessHesavedusfromsoterrible,thoughsorighteous,anact.

           Scarcehadaquarterofanhourpassed,whenafanofairfromthewest,withahintoffrostanddampinit,crispedonourcheeks.Inanotherfiveminuteswehadsteeragefromthefilledsail,andArnoldBenthamwasatthesteeringsweep.

           “Savewhatlittlestrengthyouhave,”hehadsaid.“Letmeconsumethelittlestrengthleftinmeinorderthatitmayincreaseyourchancetosurvive.”

           Andsohesteeredtoafresheningbreeze,whileCaptainNichollandIlaysprawledintheboat’sbottomandinourweaknessdreameddreamsandglimpsedvisionsofthedearthingsoflifefaracrosstheworldfromus.

           Itwasanever-fresheningbreezeofwindthatsoonbegantopuffandgust.Thecloudstuffflyingacrosstheskyforetoldusofagale.BymiddayArnoldBenthamfaintedatthesteering,and,eretheboatcouldbroachinthetidyseaalreadyrunning,CaptainNichollandIwereatthesteeringsweepwithallthefourofourweakhandsuponit.Wecametoanagreement,and,justasCaptainNichollhaddrawnthefirstlotbyvirtueofhisoffice,sonowhetookthefirstspellatsteering.Thereafterthethreeofusspelledoneanothereveryfifteenminutes.Wewereveryweakandwecouldnotspelllongeratatime.