Ha then began and gave a short-hand account of his career; that he was born and brought up in a place called Barrens, near by--that he had gotten into bad company, and in the employ of a bad man--that at the instigation of this man, he had been guilty of many improper acts, but that one of these, and the last one in which he had taken a part, had stuck in his heart like a dagger from the moment he did it--that he and his companion, in order to escape punishment in case the crime was found out, and to get away from the man who had exerted his power over them for such shameful purposes, had shipped to sea--that his messmate had taken sick and died, and that his last hours were full of misery on account of what he had done. 'I have therefore, sir, made a clean breast of it all to Captain Oakum, and I am on my way to see the man I once injured so much; but Captain Oakum thought how as you, sir, could tell me what was best to do, and that I might let you know, sir, just the whole on it.' 'But you haven't told me, yet, my man, what this crime you speak of was. You have not murdered any one, surely?' 'God only knows, sir; but we fired a house while they were all asleep; the man who hired us to do it wanted a tin trunk which stood in one of the back rooms. We waited round to have folks give the alarm, but it got well a-burning before any one see it. An old nigger then came and broke the door open with an axe: the house was filled with fire and smoke. The old black fellow--God bless him for a true heart as ever beat in a human body,--went right through the flames, up the stairs, calling as loud as his voice could scream, "Oh my missus and the children!" We hurried into the back room, and feeling about found the trunk, but we had like to have smothered afore we got out; but that old fellow's cry, sir, has rung in my head louder than the loudest noise that the wind and the waves have made, since I have been on the ocean. And, sir, I can't live with it any longer.' 'Did you ever see the man whose house you fired?' 'No, sir, nor do I now remember his name; but he had a character, sir, for being a fine man, far and near.' 'The person's name is Rutherford, and he is now sitting in my office; the very gentleman you saw there.' 'The Lord forgive me! may I not see him, sir, just to ask his pardon, and then let him do with me what he thinks best?' 'You shall see him; but first answer me:--Are you willing to go with me, and meet face to face this man Cross, whom you say instigated this act?' 'I will, sir; only I hope I may be restrained from doing him an injury, for there is that in me, when I think of the villain, that wouldn't mind putting his daylight out, and trampling him in the dust.'