CHAPTER XLI.
JANUARY 8th .-- All night I remained by the side of the poor fellow's corpse, and several times Miss Herbey joined me in my mournful watch.
Before daylight dawned the body was quite cold, and as I knew there must be no delay in throwing it overboard, I asked Curtis to assist me in the sad office.

The body was frightfully emaciated, and I had every hope that it would not float.
As soon as it was quite light, taking every precaution that no one should see what we were about, Curtis and I proceeded to our melancholy task.

We took a few articles from the lieutenant's pockets, which we purposed, if either of us should survive, to remit to his mother.

But as we wrapped him in his tattered garments that would have to suffice for his winding-sheet, I started back with a thrill of horror.

The right foot had gone, leaving the leg a bleeding stump! No doubt that, overcome by fatigue, I must have fallen asleep for an interval during the night, and some one had taken advantage of my slumber to mutilate the corpse.