He had a sensation of eternity close at hand, demanding no effort--offering its peace.

It was easy to swim like this beyond the confines of life looking at a star.

But the thought: "They will think I dared not face them and committed suicide," caused a revolt of his mind which carried him on.

He returned on board, as he had left, unheard and unseen.

He lay in his hammock utterly exhausted and with a confused feeling that he had been beyond the confines of life, somewhere near a star, and that it was very quiet there..