"We had a long and rough passage, for we met storm after storm, and the old brig was far from being staunch and seaworthy. Added to this, our captain proved to be a tyrant, and not only half starved us, but manifested his cruelty on the slightest occasion. Dick and I wouldn't have fared much worse if we had stayed at home and gone to prison. When we reached Rio Janeiro we were glad to leave the vessel and go ashore among entire strangers. A few days later Dick came down with the ship fever, and before the week was out I was down with the same disease. We had been stopping at a sailor's inn, but on our recovery from the delirium into which we both had fallen, we found ourselves in the house of an English missionary. He had found us just as our inhuman host was about to turn us out of his inn to die, and having us removed to his own residence, he tenderly cared for us. It was there the first religious impressions were made upon us--more, however, upon Dick than upon myself. He recovered before I did, and while waiting for my convalescence he had several long religious talks with the missionary's wife, and was under deep conviction when we shipped on board an English vessel for Liverpool. "Our captain was a friend of the missionary, and was an earnest Christian also, and he had learned enough about us to be deeply interested in our cases. He gave us each a Bible when we come on board, and secured from each of us a promise to read it. Dick was more faithful to this promise than I, and when our watch brought us forward alone, he would talk of what he had read. One night we had a fearful storm. The wind blew a hurricane, and I never saw such waves as were hurled against us. At times it seemed as if they must overwhelm the ship, she was so deeply laden and labored so heavily. Then for the first time I saw the experiment tried of casting oil upon the troubled waters. The captain had two kegs arranged just at the bow of the vessel, and from each a small stream of oil was constantly pouring upon the tossing waves. The effect was almost magical, for the huge waves were smoothed by the spreading oil, and the ship had a comparatively smooth sea in which to sail. "Dick and I were sent forward to watch the kegs, and to keep them supplied with oil. All at once Dick gave a cry of joy. 'I have it! I have it, Tom!' he cried. 'Why have I not seen it before? This illustrates our need of a Saviour. The billows of sin compass us about, and are destined eventually to destroy our souls. Then God pours in his saving grace, the billows yield before its magic power, and there comes peace, and we push on into the haven of rest. It is Jesus through whom that grace is obtainable. He alone is the fountain of supply. Faith is the means by which it flows down to us. Praise the Lord, I believe, and that grace is mine.'