YR YNYS UNYG;

OR,

THE LONELY ISLAND:

A NARRATIVE
FOR
YOUNG PEOPLE.

"Beseech you, be merry: we have cause
Of joy: for our escape
Is much beyond our loss: our hint of woe
Is common: every day, some sailor's wife,
The masters of some merchant, and the merchant
Have just our theme of woe: but for the miracle,
I mean our preservation, few in millions
Can speak like us: then wisely, good sir, weigh
Our sorrow with our comfort."—Tempest.

LONDON:
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO., STATIONERS' HALL COURT;
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., FARRINGDON STREET.
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE: F. AND W. DODSWORTH.
1852.

Transcriber's Note

Archaic and dialect spellings remain as printed. Punctuation has been normalised. Significant errors have been noted at the end of the text. A table of contents has been provided below:

INTRODUCTION.

Dear Friend,

I enclose you the manuscript of which you have so long desired possession. You have permission to do what you like with it, on one condition, which is, that you alter all the names, and expunge anything like personality therein; for, as you are aware (with two exceptions) each character mentioned in the story is now alive, and so few years have elapsed since the events recorded took place that it would not be at all difficult for a stranger to recognize the heroes and heroines therein mentioned. Having settled that business, I now proceed to say, that as the narrative begins very abruptly, you will find it necessary to have some little personal account of the parties concerned, which I will lose no time in giving you. The mother of the party you know so well I need say nothing further of her than that she was about 27 when these events occurred; what her age is now, I must be excused telling, inasmuch as it has nothing to do with the story, and it is her own concern, and it will too certainly expose the time of the narrative and other things she wished left in obscurity. Mrs. E., the little mother, as she is called by every one, was the second in command. A greater contrast to her cousin could not exist. Short, and rather stout, she trotted by the side of her companion, as the little hippopotamus by the side of the giraffe. Both their eyes were dark, but the mother's were soft, and the little mother's so brilliant when she fixed her eyes on you, you must tell what you thought, as they penetrated into the heart. Her broad forehead showed the prevalence of the intellectual powers, and the reliance on her own sense and judgment. To be sure some people called her very masculine, and it is true that, when equipped in her riding gear, and ready to get into her second home (the saddle), she certainly slaps her tiny boots with her whip, walks round her horse, examines his legs, and questions her groom as to the throwing out of curbs, and other mysteries, known as stable lore. The horse has his nose twitched that she may get into the saddle before the usual kicking scene commences; once there, he may do what he likes, she is part of her horse, and enjoys his gambols as much as himself. When in female garments, though somewhat brusque in manners and blunt in speech, she is a true woman, and as feminine in heart as the fairest and most delicate among the sex. Madame, the governess, must occupy our attention the next. She was the kindest, best, most loving guardian over her flock, and seemed to have but one unhappiness in the world, and that was her utter inability to keep in order and understand one rebellious pupil among them. But I will not tell tales out of school. Sybil and Serena were the mother's young sisters, 13 and 14 years of age, innocent, gay, and happy creatures, blessed with beauty and sense above the common lot. Gertrude, or Gatty, was the child of an old and valued friend. She was about 12, with the wit, the quickness, the sense of 20, and I had almost said the size, for so large a proportion of flesh, blood, and bones rarely fall to the lot of male or female at that age. She was alternately the soul of fun and merriment or the plague and torment of every one about her. She had the judgment of mature age and the nonsense of the greatest baby in her. The mother alone obtained unlimited obedience from her. I am afraid I have discovered the "unruly one," but all the characters shall speak for themselves. The mother's own children were three in number. Oscar, a fine tall active boy, with a grave quick demeanour, but the open brow and frank sweet smile won him the love of every one. Lilly, the little girl, was about 6, a little, loving, winning thing, with eyes like violets, and long dark rich curls floating all round her, from the middle of which was uplifted a little rosy face, almost perfect in its childish beauty. Felix, the youngest boy and child, was a little, delicate, spoilt fellow, whose face seemed made up of naught but eyes and eyelashes. They were all three quick and clever children; and it was partly for the improvement of the little boy's health the voyage took place, the incidents of which are mentioned in this book. Zoë and Winifred were two little nieces. The former a grave, little, quiet picture of a sweet Madonna, and the latter a little, sparkling, merry pet, with the quick action and grace of a fairy. Madame does not know it, or think we guess it, but Winny is certainly her pet. Mrs. Hargrave, the lady's maid, and Jenny, the little pet nurse, concluded the females; while a fine, tall, handsome, athletic gamekeeper formed their only male attendant. Now, having said my say, I leave you; but you must be answerable for the faults of this journal if you will publish it; nothing could be more irregular and hasty than its compilation. With this burden on your shoulders, dear friend, believe me, thine in all pity and affection,

A FRIEND.

CHAPTER I.

On the 3rd of May, 183—, we embarked on board our pretty yacht, "La Luna," the crew of which included all the party mentioned in the preceding pages, besides those necessary to work her. These consisted of a captain, two mates, a boatswain, fourteen seamen, a cook, a steward, and my son's gamekeeper. Captain MacNab was a remarkably nice, active, bluff, plain-spoken man. It was easy to be seen that he was not too much pleased at commanding a company composed so entirely of women and children; neither do I think he would have undertaken the charge had we not expected Sir Walter Mayton, my children's guardian, and Mr. B., their tutor, to make part of the live stock. The former was prevented accompanying us by domestic matters; the latter from his father's death. But we made arrangements for both to join us at Madeira, for it was not deemed advisable to wait the month it would take Mr. B. to settle his father's affairs and provide a home for his sisters. The weather was so beautiful it was thought we could easily spend a month in the Mediterranean, previously to extending our voyage across the Atlantic; besides I was anxious to see the promised roses restored to my little son's face, and, without being foolhardy or presumptuous, I could not entertain the least idea of danger. Our first mate, Mr. Skead, was not only extremely skilful, but the nicest merriest person on board, being quite as ready to be the boys' play-fellow as they could be to have him. Mr. Austin was the second mate, a grave religious person, who kindly acted chaplain for us. Of the seamen I need say nothing, but that they were all picked men. Alas, when I recall that day, and see so vividly before me all their rough but honest manly faces, and remember the close intimacy that, being sharers in one common home, participators in all things alike, engendered, I cannot but mourn over each face as I recall it to memory. In the few months we were together each seemed a part of the family, and in the sudden severing of our lives and fates mournful thoughts will arise as to what can have been the fate of those in whom we were so interested. But I must not anticipate, and, moreover, my task is a long one, and I have no time to spare lingering over the past. Our cook was a black man, called Benjie, which rather disturbed the peace of the little girls. They could not think the white rolls were really made by his black hands, and only his extreme good nature and willing activity caused them to be in any degree reconciled to having a black man for a cook. He was a very good one however, and willingly would we, many years after, have hailed his black face and white teeth with the joy of a dear friend. Smart, the gamekeeper, was a fine, tall, handsome man, of Gloucester make and tongue; he was quite a character in his way, and the contrast between his fear of the sea, his illness at the least gale, his utter ignorance of anything nautical was very great, when we thought of his courage, strength, and skill on shore, in his own vocation. Under his care he had two large dogs, half blood hounds half St. Bernard, their names were Bernard and Cwmro. But I must describe our vessel:—La Luna had been built expressly for her present purpose, in the river Clyde; she was of nearly 200 tons burden, three-masted, beautiful and elegant in her appearance, and nothing could exceed the convenience and comfort, combined with strength, with which she was fitted up; we had a deck house, surrounded with windows, so that we were shaded from sun and sheltered from breeze, and could see in every direction each pursuing his or her favourite occupation, and yet losing none of the beauties and wonders of the ocean; near the deck house were two berths, one for Captain MacNab, the other for Mr. Austin; down stairs we had a saloon, the length of which was the width of the vessel, and about twelve feet across; on the upper end a smaller saloon, or drawing room, the sofas of which made up four berths; the three girls used this room, and it opened into the stern cabin, where Jenny and the three younger girls slept, and through which the rudder came; at the other end was a double cabin, which served for my cousin and me, opening into the bath room, beyond that was the boys' cabin, and on the left hand side of the stern cabin was Mrs. Tollair's cabin; in the other part of the vessel were four other cabins, a steward's or servant's room, besides the seamen's berths, here also were two very excellent deck cabins for our two gentlemen whenever they joined us. We had fitted up the whole of the saloon with bookcases, of which one was devoted to the children's school books, drawing materials, and everything of that sort they might require. Our travels were at present not only indefinite as to time, but equally so as to place. We had a piano and a small hand organ, which could be carried on deck.

It would be impossible to convey any idea of the bustle, the noise, the confusion, the pleasure, the novelty that possessed everybody and everything the few days before we sailed. The leave-takings were the most painful, for having the care of so many who left the nearest and dearest ties behind them, on a voyage, the singularity of which invested it with a certain degree of mysterious danger, the nature of which no one could define, and which I now for the first time felt. All this gave a degree of sadness to the feelings of the whole party as we watched the English coast fading from our sight. I sat on the deck until a late hour recalling the happy and cheerful "God speed you" that my mother gave us, the more grave and solemn farewell of my father, whose foreboding mind looked farther than ours did. And then I recalled the parents of those with me; the hearty and oft-expressed wish of Gatty's father, high in honours and public esteem, to accompany us, the tearful farewell of her mother, dear Winny's merry and light-hearted mother, while her father bid her remember, during her long absence, the lessons of goodness and high principle he was always so anxious to inculcate in her. My brother and sister-in-law had been prevented coming to wish Zoë farewell, on account of the illness of one of her brothers. I could not but think this as well, for her mother's delicate nerves could never have borne the parting from a child so beloved, and Zoë's leave to come would have been rescinded at the last moment. Poor child! I know not whether to wish it better to have been so or not. Dear uncle P. came to wish his daughter, my cousin, good bye, and to promise once more a father's and mother's care over her two little children during her absence. I could not help being amused at his sometimes expressing a wish to go with us, and the next minute scolding us for doing anything so mad. Well, we were off! the last adieus were said, the last looks given, the last words spoken. We were off! The die is cast, and it seemed strange to me that now and only now did fearful doubts, and vain regrets, and sad forebodings oppress my heart, and take possession of my mind. With striking vividness I recalled how, mainly to please myself and amuse my mind, I had projected and finally carried out this expedition; how I had covered my own private wishes and thoughts under the plea of the good it would do my little boy, the benefit it was to all young people to enlarge their minds by travelling and experience, the novelty of the adventure, and the sort of certain uncertainty which was to attend our steps and ways during the next eight months, thus giving the charm of novelty and singularity to the whole scheme. I know not how long I should have dwelt on these circumstances, had not the children come to wish me their wonted good night. Schillie declared I had moped enough, the girls were eager that together we should take our last view of England, for the breeze that carried us now so fast through the water bid fair to take us soon out of sight of land. The young soon lose the painful feelings of parting; besides, they were so delighted at being really off, they had been so fearful lest anything should occur to prevent one or all going, so as to destroy the unity, if I may so call it, of the party, that unmitigated pleasure alone pervaded them. This buoyancy of their feelings had as yet prevented any symptoms of illness, and I don't think there was a pale face amongst the party, save the little invalid and Smart, the gamekeeper. He sat silent and amazed between his two dogs, and, could we have analyzed his feelings, I have no doubt we should have been privy to most curious and contradictory ideas. Qualms were coming over him of various kinds, equally foreign to his nature. Probably, for the first time, he was experiencing fear and sickness at the same moment, and quite unable to understand the symptoms of either. The boys had not yet found out what made their dear Smart so dull and unlike himself, when they were so joyous and delighted. We all rose up, and went together to watch the fading land. Various exclamations proved how much our thoughts dwelt on that beloved shore, and long after my short sight had deemed it passed from view did my dear girls exclaim, "they yet saw it; there were still lights." But Captain MacNab wanted his deck to himself, so with cheerful good nights, the moon being up, we descended to take our first meal on board, and use those narrow couches at which we were so much amused, and which the children had been longing to try from the moment they came on board. Such a noisy tea never was, interrupted now and then by a lurching of the vessel, which was such a new thing to us that all started, some in fear, some in fun, and some, I must own, with other feelings not very agreeable. The oddity of having nothing steady on our swinging table, the laughing at the pale looks that flitted across the faces of others, the grave determination with which little Winny declared "that now she was really a sailor, she would only eat ship biscuit," caused intense merriment. But ere tea was over one or two of our party disappeared, and when twelve o'clock arrived Captain MacNab had La Luna all to himself and his men, for the feminine crew were deep in slumber, caused by the, to them, unusual motion of the sea, and the unwonted excitement of the day.

CHAPTER II.

May 4.—The next morning there were many defaulters, myself amongst the number. In lieu of the laughter and joy of the preceding evening, there were groans, and moans, and beseechings for tea or a drink of water. Sybil, Gatty, and Serena all rose valiantly; Gatty scornfully repudiating the possibility of being ill. But it was in vain, "the loftiest spirit was lowliest laid." The little girls rather courted the notion. Being ill in bed of course precluded the idea of lessons, with which a certain portion of every day had been threatened, and as they lay in bed thus they discoursed:—

Zoë.—"I really do not think it will be pleasant if we are to be like this all the time."

Lilly.—"Oh, Zoë, I am so snug, I have got a nice book to read, and there will be no playing on the piano to-day."

Winny.—"Oh! I am very sorry for that. If I did not feel so funny, I should like to go and play very much. But I am glad we are to have no French. Jenny says Madame is very ill indeed, and I think I heard her groan once."

Zoë.—"Groan, did you? then she must be very bad. I don't wish her to groan much, but I don't mind if she is sick always from ten until two. You know mother promised we should do no lessons after two. Here is Jenny. Why, Jenny, what is the matter with you?"

Jenny.—"Indeed, Miss, I don't know; but just as I was fastening Miss Sybil's dress, I felt so queer, and I was so ashamed, I was obliged to sit down before all the young ladies."

All the little girls at once exclaimed, "Ah, Jenny, Jenny, you know you are sea-sick." "No, indeed, young ladies," exclaimed Jenny, vehemently, "I am sure it is no such thing; but Master Felix would have some cold beef with Worcester sauce for his breakfast, and that gave me a turn, it has such a strong smell." But ere Jenny had well got the words out of her mouth, nature asserted her rights, and after an undeniable fit, she reeled off to bed, and was a victim for three days. Hargrave, my maid, being of a stolid, determined, sort of stoical character, announced her intention of not giving way; and though a victim, or rather martyr, she never suffered a sign to appear, or neglected one thing that she was asked to do, or showed the smallest feeling on the occasion beyond a general sense of dissatisfaction at all things connected with the sea. But of all our sufferers none equalled my poor cousin. Not a word was to be got out of her, but short pithy anathemas against everybody that came near her, everybody that spoke to her, every lurch the ship made, every noise overhead; an expression of pity caused an explosion of wrath, a hope that she was better a wish that she was dead, and an offer of assistance a command to be gone out of her sight. Neither of the boys suffered in the least. And now the increased motion of the vessel, the noise overhead, and various other signs told us that the lovely smooth ocean, on whose bosom we had trusted ourselves, for some cause unknown to us was considerably disturbed, internally or externally. It was impossible for any land-lubbers to stand; it was equally impossible to eat in the form prescribed by the rules of polite society, food being snatched at a venture, and not always arriving at the mouth for which it was originally intended. One or two were pitched out of their cots, and a murmuring of fear that this should be a tempest, and that we were going to be wrecked, caused a message to be sent to Captain MacNab to know whereabouts we were, for no one liked to be first to acknowledge fear or expose our ignorance to the Captain, who had good-humouredly rallied some on what they would do and say in case of bad weather. Therefore the question of whereabouts are we seemed a very safe one, likely to obtain the real news we wanted without exposing our fears to the captain. In answer, we received a message to say we were near the Bay of Biscay and as there was a very pretty sea, we should do well to come up and look at it. "Come up and look at it?" that showed at once that no shipwreck was in contemplation. But how to get up? that was the question. The message, however, was dispatched round to the different berths, with the additional one, "that the mother was going immediately," that being my title amongst the young ones, and the little mother being the title of my cousin.

On deck we were received by the captain, who welcomed us with much pleasure, an undisguised twinkle in his eyes betraying a little inkling into the purport of our message. To our amazement, he and the sailors seemed quite at their ease, walking as steadily as if the vessel was a rock, and as immoveable as the pyramids. But what a sea! I looked up and saw high grey mountains on all sides, and ere I could decide whether they were moveable or my sight deceptive, they had disappeared, and, from a height that seemed awful, we looked down upon a troubled, rolling, restless mass of waters, each wave seeming to buffet its neighbour with an angry determination to put it down. In the midst of all this chaos, one monster wave rose superior to all the rest, and rolling forward with giant strength and resistless impetuosity, threatened instant destruction to the vessel. A cry, a terrific roll, a shudder through the vessel, and again we were in the valley of waters; and during the comparative lull the captain roared in my ear, "Is it not a pretty sea, Madam?"

We can now laugh at our fears, and the awe-struck faces we all presented, but it was many hours ere some of us recovered ourselves, and for this show of timidity Gatty scolded Sybil.

Gatty.—"How can you be such a goose, Sybil? Why, you are trembling now."

Sybil.—"No, I am only a little cold; but you know, Gatty, that was such an awful wave, if we had stretched our necks ever so high we could not see to the top."

Gatty.—"Well, and what did that matter? It was a glorious wave, a magnificent fellow, I dare say a tenth wave. If we had been walking on the sea shore we should have counted and known."

Sybil.—"But I could not tell how we were ever to get to the top. I thought we must certainly go through it, or it would go over us."

Gatty (laughing).—"Serena, do come here, Sybil is talking such splendid stuff, and, moreover, she is frightened out of her wits, and I do believe wishes herself at home."

Serena.—"Oh dear! I am so ill; going on deck has quite upset me, and I am worse than I was."

Gatty.—"Now, whatever you do, don't go and be so foolish, Serena. I shall have no pleasure at all if Sybil is frightened and you are ill. Get up, and eat a lot of roast beef with heaps of mustard and you will be quite well."

A little small voice called to Gatty, and also asked for beef and mustard. "I am sure, quite sure, Gatty," said the little speaker, Winny, "it will do me a great deal of good." "Ah," said Lilly, "I wish I was out of this place. Do, mother, ask the captain to stop and put me down somewhere." This little idea caused infinite amusement. Time, however, went on, and cured us all. We had lovely weather, and began to keep regular hours, and have allotted times of the day for different things. All attending, whatever might be our occupations, to the captain's summons; for when anything new was to be seen, any wonders of the ocean, any curious bird resting its weary wings on the only haven in sight—our little vessel, any furling of sails, or any change, so did the good-natured captain send for us, and we joyfully obeyed the summons, listening to all his wondrous tales, watching the rolling of the porpoises, and the wondrous colours of the sea. As we approached a hotter climate, everything became, in our eyes, objects of new and strange interest. In this manner we reached Gibraltar, and landed for the first time, having been thirteen days at sea.

CHAPTER III.

May 16.—Gibraltar.—I, for one, was very glad to land, for somehow on board ship one never seemed to be able to finish one's toilette with the degree of niceness necessary, a lurch of the ship very often caused an utter derangement, a rolling sea made it a matter of great difficulty even to wash one's face, and as for tidying the hair that had been given up, and those who did not wear caps enclosed their rough curls in nets. We therefore migrated to the principal hotel, leaving the two boys, at their own request, on board, under the care of Jenny and Smart. The three elder girls were to wait on each other, and each take a little girl in their charge, while Hargrave waited on the three elderly ladies. We were objects of great curiosity, and many people supposed our party to consist of a school. They were more surprised at hearing that La Luna belonged to the school. The visitors on board of her became innumerable, causing the good-natured captain a world of trouble. Every day he came and reported himself, as he called it, to his commanding officer, meaning myself and brought an account of the boys, or one with him; and it was most curious to see this great rough captain take each little girl up in his arms and kiss her quite gently, always expressing a hope to each that they were not getting too fond of the land, but would soon return to their ocean home, as he was quite dull without them. Whatever misgivings he might have had on starting, they had all given way to an interest and affection for us all, that made it quite a pleasure to us to communicate with him.

We took advantage of our first landing to write letters home, which, having been preserved with sorrowful care, have now become agreeable memorials of our adventures, and may be interesting, as their own letters will best explain the individual character of each of those who were now on their way towards adventures strange as unexpected. The letters of the elder portion of our party contained but a description of Gibraltar, which is well known to most people. Sybil's letter was as follows:—

"Gibraltar, May 16, 18—

"My dearest Mamma and Sisters,

"Here we are safe on dry land again, and who would have believed a fortnight ago that we should have been so glad to get out of our dear La Luna. But we don't make half such good sailors as we expected; and how Em would have laughed could she have seen all the queer looks and sad faces which possessed the merry party she had so lately seen. But here we are really on dry land, and at Gibraltar, at the summit of all our present hopes, and charmed enough to make us forget all the horrors of the sea, and even think we could undergo them twenty times for such a sight. We came into the harbour last night, and landed as soon as we could collect our wits, and mother collect us; Madame has been at Gibraltar before, and so ought to have had the use of hers, but knowing her propensity to lose her way, we made Hargrave look after her, while we three elder girls each took a little child. Both the mothers looked after our things. The boys and Jenny were left behind. So we landed just before gun fire, passing through the long rows of houses, which looked so strange to our wondering eyes, piled one above the other, and as we were passed and stared at by numbers of odd queer-looking people, we quite fancied ourselves in a dream, or realizing the Arabian Nights. At last we halted at our hotel. Our sailors deposited our boxes, and seemed to wish us good night with sorrow. We had a famous tea, if I may so call such an odd mixture of eatables, and went to bed, hardly believing we could be in Gibraltar. This morning we were awoke by some little voices round our beds—'Oh, auntie, dear auntie, do get up; this is such a lovely place, and so odd. There are such rocks, and oh, auntie, such queer people. I saw a man in a turban, and there is a black man in the house, and——' 'Hush, little nieces, how are aunties to get up, if you chatter so? rather help us to dress, that we may see the wonderful things too.' We found our two mothers in the pretty drawing room. Three large windows looked out upon the busy town and blue sea below. The little mother was out in the balcony, in a perfect ecstasy of delight. A call to breakfast was obeyed, though we could hardly eat, the chicks jumping up every minute to look at something new and strange going on below, and the aunties quite wishing that they might commit such a breach of decorum. We were startled out of all propriety at last by a well-known voice sounding under the windows, and a remonstrance which drew us all there. Looking down, we beheld Felix seated on the top of a most extraordinary vehicle, the driver of which he had superseded, and was trying to persuade the lumbering old horse to get on. Smart was behind vainly endeavouring to persuade his young master to come down. A glance at the drawing-room windows effected what Smart's entreaties had failed to do, and the young pickle was soon at high breakfast, and had demolished a pretty considerable quantity ere his steady elder brother appeared.

"We have just returned from our first expedition so charmed, even our excited imaginations came not up to the beautiful reality. The town is a very curious one. A long street composes the principal part. Almost all the houses are painted black, with flat roofs. The shops open to the street. But the rock itself! My dearest sisters, you cannot imagine anything so exquisite as the tiers upon tiers, the masses of granite or marble rising one above another until one's eyes ached in counting them. I think if our party are always as wild as the fresh air, the beautiful scenery, and the new sensations caused to day, our mother will repent her responsibility. Even the quiet Zoë was roused, and her exclamations were as rapturous as Winny's. Felix's feats of climbing were frightful; we were never quite sure where to look for him. If Smart had not kept his eye on him, and threatened him with sundry punishments, I don't know in what mischief he would not have been. He is much more afraid of Smart than he is of his mother. Lilly's head was full of some classic stories which she had picked up somewhere, the scene of which she was quite sure was in Gibraltar, and each auntie in turn came in for a bit of the story, which might have created a sensation at any other time or in any other scene but this. So you may imagine us now, all so happy, so weary, so enchanted, so sleepy, but wide-awake enough to be able to send the dear party at home a bit of our pleasure, and the wish that they were all with us to delight also in such scenes. I don't think the mother will ever get us all away. We have quite forgotten our pretty La Luna; indeed she is at present as little thought of as her great prototype in broad daylight. So I will now say good-bye, hoping you will set down all deficiencies and incoherences in this long dispatch to the new and delightful feelings such a place and such a new pleasure have produced in our wondering heads. But in Gibraltar as at home, you must believe me ever, dearest mamma, your dutiful and affectionate daughter, and dearest sisters, your loving and affectionate sister,

"SYBIL."

My eldest son's letter to his grandpapa was as follows:

"Dear Grandpapa,

"I like the sea quite as well as I expected; but I would rather go out shooting at home. I hope mamma, however, will allow us to go to the Cape or Canada. Smart says he should like to shoot a bear, and I wish to kill an elephant. In the Bay of Biscay we had a rolling sea. The captain told us the waves were 30 feet high; the wind was very great, and blew from the South-West; but the captain did not seem afraid, he laughed and liked it, so I thought it better not to be afraid either. But Smart was very ill, and said, whenever we spoke to him, 'Oh! I wish I was at home with my old woman.' Felix told him he was a coward and afraid; but he said, 'I ain't afeard, but I be going to die, I be sure.' The dogs are very happy and so is the cow; we feed her every day, and she knows us quite well; she has not been sea-sick, or the dogs, or Felix and I, or the captain and sailors, but I think everybody else has. Pray give my love to grandmamma and my aunts. I am tired of this long letter, and I think you will be also. I remain, your dutiful and affectionate grandson,

"OSCAR."

Gatty's letter was to her sister:—

"My Dearest Liffy,

"This is such glorious fun; but I am so hot. I declare if I stay here much longer I shall flow away, and nothing be left of me but a rivulet. I eat oranges all day long. We have a basket full put by our bedsides at night, and I never leave one by breakfast time if I can help it. It is a horrid nuisance being so sick at sea. I really thought in the Bay of Biscay that I should make a fool of myself and wish I was at home again. I don't like this place much, one is so stewed; there is not a shadow, all seems baked hard as pie-crust twice done. I like being on the sea better now I have got over being ill; there is a breeze to cool one, besides it is so jolly having nothing to do but watch the waves and the wind and learn to mind the helm. I have made great friends with all the sailors, and they are very nice fellows, all but one crabbed old Scotchman, who says, when he sees us on deck, 'ladies should always stay down stairs.' I crawled up stairs in the Bay of Biscay, because they said it was such a glorious sea, and, at first, I thought we were in a vast quarry of bright blue marble, all the broken edges being crested with brilliant white spar. Suddenly we seemed to go over all, all my quarry disappeared, and I was as near as possible going headlong down the companion ladder, and if I had how they would have laughed. The captain said the ship was on an angle of twenty degrees, what that means I cannot precisely say, but leave you to find out. I can only tell you I thought we were topsy-turvy very often, and I hope we shall not experience any more angles of that kind again. Sybil was awfully frightened, and as white as a sheet. Serena was too ill to care whether the ship was in angles or out. Felix is such a jolly boy, and likes the winds roaring and the waves foaming, and he struts and blusters about as if he was six feet two, and stout in proportion, instead of being a shrimp of the smallest dimensions. He is getting a colour though, and his mother looks at him quite happy. Winny is such an innocent little donkey, so quaint and matter-of-factish.

"I suppose you don't care to hear about Gibraltar, you will get a much better account in some Gazetteer than I can give you; I hate descriptions. However, I'll look in our Gazetteer, and tell you if it is true. All right, very good account. So now I will finish. I hope we shall go across the Atlantic. The little mother is as cross as a bear; but, as she cannot be so always, we are looking out for a change of weather. You know I never can make civil speeches, so please say everything proper for me, including my best of loves to papa and mamma. Ever, old girl, believe me your most affectionate sister,

"GATTY."

CHAPTER IV.

I think the three letters I have given you will sufficiently explain the feelings of our party. We now retraced our steps, though I should have much liked to stop at Lisbon to see the celebrated Cintra.

We, to fulfil the promises made to our gentlemen, were now obliged to make the best of our way to Madeira. This we accomplished within two days of the time we had promised to meet them. But alas! instead of having to welcome them, we received letters, stating that their joining our party must be again postponed, from circumstances needless to mention, and that we must either cruise about for another month or fix some spot where they could meet us at the expiration of that time. Having now become a nautical character, I may be excused saying "that I was quite taken aback." What to do, where to go, or how to manage, I knew not. But to proceed. After a variety of consultations, a vast quantity of advice from all sides, we, backed by our captain's wishes, and rendered rampant by the stretch we had given our hitherto home-clipped wings, decided that we would cross the Atlantic. So great a change had taken place in the captain's mind regarding ourselves that I am not quite sure he mourned at all for the defalcation of our male escort. He had us all to himself now; and, in recommending us the trip across the Atlantic, he reminded me that my brother was stationed at Rio Janeiro, being captain in H.M.S. C——, and that we might cruise up towards North America, and pick up the gentlemen, who, coming from England in the fast-sailing packet boats, would not be more than a fortnight or three weeks at most on the voyage. Of course all the children were wild to go. Remaining in the Mediterranean was voted dull and stupid. How charming to go to America, to see things much more uncommon, much more curious. Everybody could and did see the Mediterranean; it was quite a common yacht excursion. Besides, as I overheard Gatty say to her companions, "Just think, Girls, what a bore it would have been, if, in a month or two's time, our mother should have got tired of the sea, or the little mother continued, every time we have a gale, to get sea sick, they would have ordered us homewards, without consulting our wishes, and at the end of three months we should have been in stupid England again."

Sybil.—"Stupid England!"

Gatty.—"Stupid England. I did not say stupid England, did I?"

Sybil (much shocked).—"Yes, Gertrude, you did."

Gatty.—"Then, Sybil, I am very sorry. England is anything but stupid. It's a glorious place. It's a delectable place. It's a place that if any one dared to say a word against it, I really think I should feel very much inclined to——"

Sybil.—"Well! What?"

Gatty (softly).—"Why, I should like to knock them down; only don't mention my ideas. Madame will bother me, and say it is unladylike; and perhaps she will give me Theresa Tidy's maxims to do into French as a punishment."

Serena.—"Then we won't tell on any account; such a fate would be so horrible. But I agree with you that it would be dreadfully stupid to go home in three months. Now, if once we get to America, we shall have so much to see and do that the winter would come on, and mother would never trust all us precious people across the Atlantic in bad weather, so we shall have to winter in New York perhaps."

Gatty.—"How jolly! won't I 'guess' and 'reckon' every minute; and won't I fire up if I hear anyone abuse our monarchical and loyal constitution."

Sybil.—"What grand words, Gatty. Where did you pick them up?"

Serena.—"Oh, Gatty is so loyal, that I think she will be quite ready to do that which we promised not to mention a little while ago, if——"

Gatty.—"Hush, hush, Serena, you will get me into a scrape. Don't you know everything is heard in this horrid—no, no, not horrid—sweet, charming, dear, darling La Luna. You know what I mean, so hold your tongue."

Therefore, across the Atlantic, accordingly, we pursued our merry course, previously writing letters to detail our plans, to describe our pleasures of all kinds, and to appoint a place of meeting.

What can express the delicious pleasure of the sea in a tropical climate. The soft trade wind blowing us gently but swiftly through the water, fanning every limb, and filling every vein with the very meat, drink, and clothing of air; everything around, above, below bathed in brightest purest sunshine; the still life, consequent upon the heat, which pervaded the vessel, each person enjoying the unwonted luxury of enforced idleness in their own way; the very barque herself seeming to sleep on her silent course through the parting water; and as I raised myself from the couch where I had lain down to read, I could not help being struck with the pretty picture the vessel presented. My cousin was reclining not far from me; her book had fallen from her listless hand, her bright searching eyes, so restless in their intelligent activity when open, were closed, her flushed face shewed she slept. Madame was quietly pacing up and down, shaded from the sun by a great parasol; to her the heat was soothing and agreeable, for she had lived much in India, and it agreed with her better than cold winds and chilling frosts. The three girls were not far off; the two elder ones making pretence to read, but looking more inclined to snooze, while the restless Gatty utterly prevented their pursuing either occupation. From them came the only sounds in the vessel, and they consisted of peevish expostulation, requests to be left alone, now and then a more energetic appeal, a threat to complain to the higher powers, promises to be quiet and still, and this scene at last resolved itself into a promise from Sybil to tell a story, if the restless individual would only be quiet. Immediately a reinforcement offered itself to the party in the shape of Zoë and Winny. A pretty little group of four eager listeners and one inspired narrator soon disposed themselves in the unstudied grace of childhood, and the soft voice was heard in regular cadence, now lively, now solemn, now pathetic, and again elevated according to the interest and pathos of her story. Oscar, in his sailor's dress, with his fair bright curls, his animated blue eyes, added to their picture. But in the distance lay the prettiest group; tired and heated with the noisy play of childhood, the mischievous and excited Felix lay fast asleep with his arms round the neck of one of the dogs, as if he was determined the dog should not play if he could not; but the watchful eye of Bernard shewed that he was merely still for his little master's sake, and that he even looked with a distrustful eye at the measured pacing of Madame, fearing that her slight movement would disturb the profound repose into which his charge had fallen. With her long curls sweeping half over the other dog, and half over herself, lay the tired little Lilly, so mixed with the other two that Cwmro did not seem to think it necessary to keep guard while his companion watched so faithfully, and nothing could exceed the depth of repose and stillness into which they seemed plunged; and in finishing this picture I will end my chapter, for our days glided quietly and deliciously, a time often looked back upon by us as the sweetest and calmest we ever passed, and was only too short in its duration.

CHAPTER V.

There fell upon us a dead calm. The heat was insufferable; the sky was too blue to be looked at; the sea too dazzling to be gazed on; the sun too scorching to be endured. We turned night into day, without mending matters much. Gatty ran about, hot and panting, searching for a cool hole, while she declared that the ship was a great pie, which the sun had undertaken to bake, and that we were all the unfortunate pigeons destined to be stewed therein. "Then," said the matter-of-fact little Winny, "we must put all our feet together, and stick them up in the middle." One day, when we happened to be in that indescribable state—a sort of half consciousness of what was passing around—scarcely knowing whether we were dreaming or waking, we heard a knock at the door, and the hot but smiling face of our captain shewed itself. He was immediately assailed with innumerable questions. Was the heat going? Was the wind rising? When were we to go on? Why did he not whistle for a breeze? Where could we get out of the way of the sun? Was it possible to get into a shade? Could he give us anything to cool us? What would happen if we all went on being baked in this manner? In fact, the purport of his visit to the saloon at such an unusual hour was all but lost sight of in the midst of these queries when I asked him if anything was the matter. "I only wish to look at your barometer; something has happened to mine," was his reply. So amidst an uproar of young voices, with pullings, tuggings, and caresses, for he was a prodigious favourite, he accomplished his object. I was surprised to see such an expression of concern cross his countenance as he gazed at it, and questioning him thereon, he answered, "Why, Madam, I find both the barometers tell the same tale; therefore, what I imagined was owing to a fault in mine, I must now impute to some extraordinary change in the weather."

Gatty.—"I hope then it will be hard frost."

Felix.—"Or a storm, Gatty. I want the wind to blow, and the waves to be mountains high."

Lilly (yawning).—"I wish something would blow, and I wish I had two little slave girls to fan me as they do in India."

Zoë.—"I don't think I should; they would be so hot themselves, poor things, I should be quite sorry all the time."

Oscar.—"I vote for a hard frost, like Gatty, then we should have such splendid skating on the sea."

Serena.—"But, supposing (which I believe is no supposition, but a fact) that the sea freezes in waves, we could not then skate."

Gatty.—"Oh, don't talk any more of ice and frost, it makes one hotter still to think of the contrast."

I proceeded to enquire of the captain what change he expected.

Capt.—"Madam, it must be a storm of some kind; I have been becalmed very often, but I never endured such profound stillness and heat as there have been now for some days past. Dear little souls, I quite feel for the young people, Madam."

Mother.—"But, captain, is it likely to be a bad storm, or will there be any danger?"

Capt.—"You are all such good sailors that I am not at all afraid of telling you the truth. Indeed," looking smilingly on the surrounding faces, "I am thinking some of you will be glad to hear we are likely to have a hurricane!"

The babble on this announcement was tremendous. Gatty and Felix shook hands on the spot, and congratulated each other on the probable fulfilment of their secret wishes. Madame turned deadly pale, and sunk into a seat. My cousin tossed up her head, and said "anything is better than this confounded heat." I trembled; the two little girls clasped each other's hands half in fear, half in excitement; Sybil and Serena both looked pleased; and Oscar besought me to allow him to be on deck the whole time, that he might see the hurricane.

Capt. (seeing my alarm).—"You may be sure, Madam, I would not joke if I thought there was any danger. I have been in Chinese typhoons, hurricanes in the Tropics, and storms in the Atlantic, where one would imagine heaven and earth were coming together, and under the blessing of God" (here our captain bowed his head) "I apprehend nothing, Madam, but what care and skill can overcome."

Mother.—"But your face expressed great concern when you looked at the barometer; and, besides, you mentioned the heat and calm as greater than you ever before experienced."

Capt. (half hesitating).—"That is true, Madam, but I am such an ass, I cannot hide the impulse of the moment."

Mother.—"But, tell me, is this the impulse of the moment? Do you not fear a more than ordinary severe hurricane? Remember, you have praised us so much for being such good sailors, and so obedient to orders, that you must put us to the proof; and the more you take us into your confidence, the more well-behaved you will find us."

A number of voices, "Yes do, dear captain, tell us everything. Are we going to have a grand storm? Will there be ice and snow? Shall we have thunder and lightning? Will the waves be one hundred feet high? Do you think the masts will be blown away? Tell us that it will be a magnificent storm, whatever you do," said Gatty, winding up the noise.

Capt. (very much perplexed and anxiously).—"Dear little souls. Ma'am, it does my heart good to hear them. They ought all to have been born sailors, and bred to the sea into the bargain. Yes, my darlings, you shall have a grand storm, no doubt you shall have all your wish, whatever I can do for you, my little angels," and the good captain looked quite benignly at them all, giving great energetic kisses back for all the light rosy ones imprinted on his great Scotch face.

My cousin laughed as she turned to me and said, "Good as the captain is, I hope he is not really going to spoil those children and conjure up a prodigious storm for their amusement. Now brats, get out of the way, and let us have a little common sense. You think we shall have a storm, captain?"

Capt.—"I fear so, Madam; that is, I don't fear," apologetically turning to the young ones, "but I have no doubt we shall have a storm."

Schillie.—"Then you would advise my betaking myself to bed, I suppose, immediately."

Capt.—"No, Ma'am, no, for I cannot judge when we shall have it, not these twenty-four hours yet."

Schillie.—"But, pray, have you any advice to give us against the storm does come. When a horse kicks, I am well aware that the rider has solely to think of sticking on; but, I confess, storms and their consequences are quite out of my way."

Capt.—"Indeed, Madam, I should be greatly obliged if you would undertake to keep everybody quiet below, the children especially: if they come running up after me, dear little souls. I shall be thinking too much of them to mind my ship."

Schillie.—"Then I will take particular good care they are kept out of your way. I have no mind to lose my life for a parcel of spoilt animals. But, otherwise, you think there is no danger?"

Capt.—"Why she is a good boat, a very good boat; I fear nothing as long as we have room."

Gatty.—"Room, captain, what sort of room?"

Capt.—"Sea room, begging your pardon, Miss. I quite forgot you would not understand me."

Gatty now pouted in mortification that her intended laugh at the captain should be construed into ignorance on her part of what he meant, and the colloquy was broken up by the captain being sent for. We crawled on deck, as a matter of duty, panting and exhausted with doing nothing. Though we had bright blue sky above us, and the glittering sea around us, I never shall forget the brazen, hard, heated look that everything appeared to possess. The sky seemed to be gradually turning into brass, the ship looking like brass, we feeling like brass. It was horrible; and it was with no slight pleasure I heard a moaning wind rise slowly in the night, freshening into a gale by morning. Ere twenty-four hours had passed, with bare poles we were driven through the water just as a child's walnut shell might be tossed on a rough ocean. Here, there, and everywhere the sea rose, each wave with a crest to it madly buffeting and fighting with the others, yet each apparently bent on attacking the vessel, freighted with such precious lives. The wind whistled and roared until every other sound was lost. We could hear it gathering in the distance, then collecting, as it were, strength, rage, and speed as it advanced, it poured all its wrath and fury upon what appeared to us, the only victim with which it had to deal. The noble vessel bent, as it were, her graceful head in deprecation of such furious rage and turmoil, and shivering from bow to stern, would again rise lightly and proudly, as if appalled, but yet indignant at the rough usage she was receiving; yet far above the rattling wind the pealing thunder rolled with majestic sound, while the incessant lightning showed us the mad waves in all their forms. From time to time the captain sent us kind messages. We got used to the noise, uproar, and shocks; but, nevertheless, we could perceive the gale increased instead of abating. We bore it well for twelve hours, not a murmur, not a fear was expressed; but, after a shock, so tremendous that the vessel trembled to her inmost timber, a faint shriek was heard from Madame, this was echoed from the deck, it seemed to strike the ship motionless. As our breath returned to us, slowly and labouringly did she rise, heavy and waterlogged; how unlike the buoyant creature she had been a few moments before. Alas! that fatal cry was not without its signification; a sea had struck her, and in sweeping off seven men, had filled the ship with water, and carried away rudder, deck-house, and everything. Then, indeed, fear took possession of our minds. Amidst the roaring of the wind, the earnest and solemn prayers of Madame might be heard, as she sat in the gloom of the cabin, with ashen face and clasped hands, while the wailing sobs of the little girls came mingled with subdued cries from the elder ones. The two boys sat with faces uplifted, and their large eyes distended in fear and awe, as if their wild wishes had caused this awful tempest. The servants, unable to bear their fears alone, were seated in a distant part of the saloon, the wringing hands of the one and the deep groans of the other testifying the anguish and terror of their minds. Unawed by the dreadful turmoil above and the painful scene around her, Schillie alone seemed fearless and unmoved; steadying herself by the cabin door, she stood erect, and, as she looked at each of us, the calm undaunted expression of her countenance seemed to impart to us the courage her words would have given could we have heard them.

The heavy rolling of the ship became each moment more apparent; the timbers creaked and groaned; as if satisfied with the mischief it had done, the wind ceased its wild uproar, and, during the temporary calm that succeeded, we learned the loss of the seven men, hurled at once into eternity, the wreck of all on deck, and the fatal consequences still more likely to ensue from the sea we had shipped. The pumps were manned immediately, and a temporary rudder made from one of the spars. So little did the captain hide our danger from us that he accepted the offer for those that could to help at the pumps; this enabled him to spare two men for the rudder and other work he thought necessary.

Madame remained below with the children, beseeching for that aid which is equally necessary on sea or shore, and Hargrave, being helpless from fear and despair, remained with her. Wrapping ourselves up in warm close garments, we took our places, two at one and two at another pump, to help the men; and we had the exquisite gratification of finding that our labours were successful, for once more La Luna rode lightly on the waters, and our captain, in the broadest Scotch, which he always used when agitated, expressed his heartfelt happiness, while he let out, in broken exclamations of thankfulness, the fear he had entertained that her waterlogged condition might have proceeded from the starting of some of her timbers; and, indeed, the shocks and buffets she had received from the angry waves, with the straining and pitching, made us, inexperienced mariners as were, wonder, more than once, that she was not riven into a thousand pieces. Many were the fond words and endearing epithets bestowed on the brave La Luna by the good captain while he apostrophized her, as if endued with life and consciousness, beseeching her to hold on yet awhile, by all the good angels in heaven, by the mighty powers of the deep, by the love she bore to those within her, by the affection they bore to her, by the value of their lives, by the preciousness of the little innocent children, by the hopes she had given them of her strength and goodness; while he promised her in return every good thing on sea or in sky, fair breezes, bright sun, and ever-flowing sheet, with the devoted love and affection of all on board.

Towards evening, the moaning wind again rose in furious gusts, and we were recalled from the calm into which we had been sunk by the sudden and awful death that had befallen so many of our companions (a feeling only to be felt at sea) to a repetition of all we had undergone before, save in that one instance. In the language of scripture, "we strake sail, and so were driven." The sky was as pitch, the waves furious, the wind awful. Night and day passed without thought or heed. Working at the pumps had done us all good, diverting our minds from the loss we had sustained, and preventing us from dwelling on the perils surrounding us. But now we had nothing to do, and we experienced, in its full force, that heart-sickness consequent upon hope deferred. Hours sped on, yet still the ship was driven like a mad thing through the water. Bruised and sore, from the various falls and shocks we hourly received, hungry and faint from inability to get the food so necessary for our exhausted frames, death seemed our inevitable doom.

CHAPTER VI.

At the end of the seventh day, we were startled by the cry "Land ho! Land, Land." We exclaimed, "we are saved, we are saved!" and, for a moment, there was deep silence, an instructive feeling of gratitude prompted in each breast, young and old, a spontaneous prayer of thanksgiving to the mighty Being in whose hands we were, who was at once our Father and our God. The first powerful impulse obeyed, we had leisure to think of each other. I kissed the little ones, but said nothing. Madame was loud in her rejoicings and thanksgivings, the servants outrageous in their frantic joy, but the dread fear of the past days, the fury of the still existing storm, kept the elder girls yet in a state of subdued feeling. Dashing the tears from her eyes, and assuming an indifferent manner, Schillie said, "Madame, spare your rejoicings until we land; and you howlers," turning to the maids, "keep your noise for a fitting occasion. I imagine," looking at the rest of the party, "our condition is rendered more dangerous by the probability of being driven on shore; when, instead of going to the bottom, like Christians, with whole skins, we shall be dashed to pieces on the rocks, and washed up in little bits."

Felix.—"I hope some of my little bits will get near mama's little bits, and then I shall not care."

Oscar.—"Mother, may I creep up and ask Smart what the captain thinks about the land?"

All.—"Yes, do, do, dear boy."

"Mind you are careful, my darling boy," said the anxious Mother.

The captain came down himself with the boy, and corroborated Schillie's idea, that land was dangerous if the gale continued. "But, thank God," said he, bowing his head, "the gale is breaking; may I see you all down before my eyes, if I am deceived in thinking we shall have fine weather in a few hours; but," continued he, looking round with concern, "what pale faces, what suffering and misery you have undergone. I am a'most done myself," the large tears rolling down his pale shrunken cheeks, "and, but for the lives under my care, I must have given way long ere this. Ye have need to pray yet for succour; we are aye in a mickle mess, shortened in our hands, with work for twenty men, it is not to be expected as nature 'll stand it out. The men are fairly done, and, but for that likely Smart, I ken we should be in a far worse state. I am thinking, leddies, a spell at the pump will no harm you, and gie us a better chance of our lives, while the men get a bit snack. Another six hours will make or mar us; but it's no me as will disguise from any one that she's sprung a leak. All the straining and strammashing she has gone through would have foundered some score of fine boats, but she is a good one, aye, a grand one. So weel ye just come?"

We were awfully startled at the announcement of a leak, but followed him as well as we were able. Lashed to the pumps, we again worked hard, but not as before to reap a reward of our labours in seeing the pumps become dry. At the end of two hours, when we had worked turn and turn about, the captain told us that the water did not gain on us, yet the pumps must be kept going night and day to keep her afloat. How grieved we were to see our kind-hearted merry Smart, who had always looked such a fine handsome specimen of an English gamekeeper, worn down to a shadow, his fine fresh colour gone, his cheeks shrunk and withered, his bright eyes and frank smile vanished, and a care-worn, haggard, gaunt man in his stead. The two dogs were near him, looking famished and subdued. But throughout the whole time, during our greatest danger, he had never forgotten the cow; he remembered how necessary the milk was to the health of his little master, and he had fenced and guarded her stall with sails and straw-bands to prevent her being knocked about; nevertheless, with all his care, she looked pitiable, and was galled and bruised in many places.

Gradually the leaden darkness over our heads seemed to be stealing away, a low moaning sound succeeded to the hollow blasts and whistling hurricane that had been making us their sport. Instead of the violent pitching and tossing that had been our fate for so many days, with the fearful careening over of the labouring ship, we were now going slowly up and down with the swelling rolling waves. Gradually and distinctly the land, that had been viewed some hours before, became more visible, and we beheld what seemed to us a small irregular island, rising very abruptly to the right, and of great height, but shelving off to the left; and, as we approached nearer, we could perceive long breakers dashing for a great distance over the lower part, leading us to imagine that it extended some miles into the sea. Our captain edged off as well as he could, with his crippled rudder and the troubled sea with which he had to contend, because night was coming on. Though the wind was quite subdued, and the sea becoming each hour more calm, the night was an anxious one, and weary enough to some of us, for the pumps could not be left a moment.

The harassing time the young ones had passed made me anxious that they should obtain that rest so long desired, while the age and delicate health of Madame rendered her almost as necessary an object of care; but the maids with my cousin and myself did our duty with the rest in our endeavours to keep the ship afloat.

We were rewarded in the morning by, oh! joyful and beauteous sight, the unclouded and glorious rising of the sun. Months seemed to have passed since we had seen his beautiful face, and the genial warmth and bright beams imparted a glow to every eye and every heart. The cock, so long silent and almost dead with salt water, faintly crowed, the dogs barked, and the cow lowed. When dumb animals thus endeavoured to express their joy and thankfulness, could we be silent? Oh no, words were not wanting to add to nature's hymn, happy and joyful sounds were heard on all sides, and those who could not help it wept the happiness they found themselves unable to express in words.

CHAPTER VII.

In us was exemplified the old adage, "that man is but the creature of circumstances." Who could have foretold that in two short weeks we should think so differently, and yet in that fortnight of dark anxiety, undefined dread and forebodings, more distressing than reality itself, we had seemed to live years of misery. The bodily sufferings we had endured from the heat and burning fever of the scorching sun seemed as nothing in comparison with the horrors we afterwards underwent, and it was almost impossible to imagine that we had ever deprecated the bright beams or complained of the genial warmth now so grateful to our feelings.

What happiness it was to hear the joyous voices of the young ones, as each, in their different manner, expressed their delight at the beautiful change. The gentle Zoë clasped her hands with excited joy; Felix flew into his dear Smart's arms, exclaiming "that the sun was shining most stunningly;" Oscar came softly behind me, and with one arm round my neck, whispered "Dear mama, surely we are saved now;" Lilly and Winny ran from one end of the vessel to the other, singing, in clear ringing voices, the morning hymn; while each and all gazed on the surrounding scene with happiness and delight, worn out as we were with aching arms, blistered hands, and utter weariness, we could not be insensible to the beauty of the little island we were now approaching.

It was seemingly so long since we had seen land that even if it had been a barren rock, we should have hailed it with delight. Yet, with all our love for La Luna, with all our experience of her goodness, beauty, strength, and worth, not a heart beat on board of her, I fear, that did not pant to be on shore. It seemed as if this little island had risen out of the sea for the sole purpose of affording us the rest and peace our shattered condition and worn-out frames demanded. And yet it was curious and half alarming to see this little spot of earth rising so lonely and yet so beautiful in the middle of the sea: like an emerald gem on the vast extent of water it lay calm and alone, no other land in sight, no other object to divide our attention with it. The nearer we approached, the more we became absorbed in our inspection. It grew larger, it appeared higher, we distinguished cliffs or rocks, we noticed ravines, and beheld small bays. The roaring of the breakers was distinctly heard, and the rolling billows, collecting foam as they advanced, seemed to spend their force against the reef of rocks, while they lightly and gently swept on towards the little island, breaking so softly on the sanded shore that they seemed to regard it as a favoured child, whose solitary condition demanded protection and indulgence. Slowly and heavily the laden ship advanced; suddenly we seemed, as it were, to pass a corner of the island, and came upon a view so lovely in its quiet beauty, so unexpected in its richness and colour, so delightful in its homelike appearance, that one cry of admiration burst from all. How exquisite! How lovely! What rocks! What trees! Look, look, a gushing stream, a lovely waterfall! I see birds, bright birds, and beauteous flowers, I am sure! What colours! What a lovely bay! What blue water! What golden sands! Was ever such a scene beheld before by mortal eyes! Such and many more were the exclamations heard on all sides. There hung, in vast variety, gigantic trees, stretching their huge limbs in every direction on the face of the cliff, as if clinging for support. Every here and there verdant spots appeared, like mossy resting places for the weary climber, from whence hung creeping plants, wonderful to us for their size and beauty. In the right side of the bay, the cliffs seemed suddenly rent asunder, and through the opening gleamed a silvery thread, which, advancing to the edge, fell in a rich stream of water from rock to rock, dispersing into a thousand sparkling dancing rills, sometimes lost, then again bursting forth, now shadowed by a huge old tree, then deepening into a quiet smiling pool, until at last tossed, tumbled, and thrown from a descent of a hundred feet, it reunited its troubled waters on the sand, and flowed in tranquil beauty to the sea. The cliffs shelved up higher almost immediately beyond the waterfall, and rounding abruptly on either side towards the sea, they formed a bay or harbour, scarcely half a mile from point to point, though it must have been some miles round it. High on the right hand, which in fact was the sort of corner we had passed, rose abruptly from the sea a gigantic rock separated from the mainland; it had an archway, apparently hollowed by the sea, quite through it, and was curiously picturesque and strange to view. On the left, the bay was also sheltered by rocks, filled with caves and hollow places, but none separated from the mainland. Our captain had been occupied taking soundings ever since we had neared the land, and amidst all our exclamations arose regularly the man's deep voice, proclaiming the depth of the line, with a melodious cadence peculiar to the cry.

CHAPTER VIII.

But not even that sound or the nearness of our approach to land prepared us for a sudden grating noise, a shock, a succession of bumps that finally left nearly everybody on their faces and the ship perfectly motionless and fast on a sand bank. Those who soonest recovered themselves were greeted by the captain with cheering voice and hearty shakes of the hand. Wiping the numerous drops of anxiety from his brow, he congratulated us on what seemed the climax of our misfortunes.

"All right, all right," he exclaimed, "capitally done; I hardly hoped we should manage it so well. Cheer up, cheer up, my darling," picking up poor little Winny, whose bleeding nose shewed how suddenly the shock had upset her, "we are all safe now. There is the bonny island ready to receive us, and the pratty ship has borne us safe and sound, as far as she weel could, and now she is safe on a soft sand bank, and no harm to speak on. Another few hours, and we wadna hae had hands to shake or mou's to praise God for all his mercies." In answer to my appealing look, he continued, "She could not have floated long, Madam, the pumps are clogged and useless. Every hour was increasing the weight of water. With all my wisdom and knowledge, I could not have saved you had not a merciful providence raised up this picture of 'the fair havens,' like as is mentioned in the holy scriptures, and I bid ye welcome with my auld heart singing for joy. Never mind your bit knock my hinny. Here's a pratty home and a lovely garden come up from the ocean depths to shield and shelter ye; and ye shall have bonny fruits and flowers to pleasure ye, after the strife and turmoil you have been undergoing. But, aye, leddies, what a grand boat this is. I'd wager my mither's silver tea-urn none could have done so weel; she has borne and sheltered us to the last minute, and now she lays us gently and saftly on a nice sand bank, and we may step ashore with the ease and pleasure of grand folk. Oh, she's a darling."

Oscar.—"But she did not lay us so softly, I came down with such force that I am quite sore now."

Capt.—"But, my darling, you would not expect a ship to be so gentle in her manners as your own lady mother. Na, na, she did as weel as she could, and that's better than the best, I'll engage."

Winny (half angry).—"But she made my nose bleed with her great bumps."

Capt.—"And did she not do it on purpose, my precious lamb? How could she have settled herself so fast and high without making a bed for herself in the sand; she's as knowledgeable as a Christian, and there's no denying of it. Most lumbering vessels would have bumped a hole in their bottoms, but I'll be bound she has not rasped an inch of her keel. Here she lays us, and bids us, while she lies doon to rest, to take a snack ashore, and be thankful for a' the mercies showered on our unworthy heads. Good Mr. Austin is gone fra us, Madam, but surely there remains some amongst us to lift the song of praise and glory."

Every heart responded to the good captain's words, and the crippled crew, more alive than we were to the danger we had escaped, flocked from each part of the vessel to join us. The startled birds, unused to human sounds, rose in clouds as the energetic and outpouring spirit of praise rose in the air, fervent in its expression, heartfelt in its depth and feeling.

And then our good captain manned the only boat left us, and calling upon me to choose any three other companions I liked, bid me come and take possession of the fair island in the name of the Queen. Calling Schillie, Serena, and Oscar, with the two poor dogs, we got into the boat; in a few minutes we approached, we landed, and seeing the showers of tears that rushed to our eyes, the captain considerately shoved off, and ere we had well dried them, clinging arms and soft voices hung round us, and welcomed us to this land of loveliness and beauty. A very short time elapsed ere we were all on shore, and would have wandered from tree to tree and rock to rock in pleasure too delicious to be described, had not the considerate kindness and untiring exertions of our good captain made us anxious to assist him as well as we could. Everybody was called into requisition, even the volatile Felix and the indolent Lilly were chidden into useful activity, and bestirred themselves to the best of their little powers, on being promised the reward of sleeping on shore. It was nearly noon when we landed, but, in spite of the heat, we worked untiringly, having, first of all, fixed on a dry and sheltered corner on which to have a tent pitched. Under the captain's judicious management, the sailors soon erected a large and commodious apartment, into which we put couches and cushions to serve as beds; a smaller tent, a few feet below us, was prepared for the captain, the boys, and Smart. A large fire was kindled ere night approached to keep off wild beasts, or scare any other unknown enemies. On a shelving rock, against which the waves gently broke, we had our first meal, one never to be forgotten by me, for the many mixed feelings with which it was partaken. All hearts were too full to say much. The overwrought mind of the captain showed itself in his profound silence, while slowly and at intervals a single large tear rolled down his cheeks. Madame swallowed as many tears as tea. Schillie gulped down her food in convulsive starts while she spoke only in short sentences to the dogs, sharply reproving them for nothing. Sybil and Serena both wept quietly, and ever and anon cast fond and anxious but furtive glances at their two mothers. Gatty shewed the workings of her mind by the innumerable holes she was tearing in her poor handkerchief, while she earnestly begged the little girls to eat more, and called them stupid little apes when they did not. They, poor children, would have been joyful and happy, for the feelings of childhood chase each other like clouds on an April day, but the unwonted sight of the kind captain's tears, the uncontrollable feelings that possessed the elder party, gave an awe to the whole proceeding. Oscar and Felix ate and drank to their heart's content, relieving their feelings by occasional visits to Smart, who sat at a little distance with some of the sailors. Such a state of feeling could not last. Our meal ended abruptly, and ere the lingering glory of the sun had wholly left the sky, all the worn frames and overtaxed hearts sought the repose so necessary for them, and, save two faithful watches by the fire, deep sleep fell on all the party.

CHAPTER IX.

I awoke in the morning, hardly at first comprehending where I was. On rising, I found myself alone, no sound broke the stillness, no sight met my eyes to assist me in restoring my still dreaming thoughts. After passing some moments in endeavouring to recollect myself, I opened the door of the tent. High and dry on a sanded bank lay La Luna, almost on her beam ends, while active figures were busily employed in her. The little boat had just left her laden with a heavy cargo. Smart and the two maids were apparently waiting to receive what she brought, and assist in unloading her. Scattered in numerous and pretty groups along the shore were all my loved companions. I slowly and mechanically counted them, as if I feared from the unwonted stillness some were missing; but they were all there; I thanked God, and sat down to recover myself. One of the dogs barked, and I saw my cousin run forward to silence him. The little girls were feeding the ducks and chickens, at least two were, while the third was wandering close to the waves at some distance. The boys were one rubbing the cow down, the other feeding her with fresh grass, for which she eagerly pursued him. Schillie walked slowly to the water's edge, and began to make ducks and drakes, as it is called, with a stone, apparently trying to hit a dark object that was moving in the water. The dogs were going in after the stones, when a shout from the vessel roused her. Pointing to the black object, of which now there appeared many, vehement signs were made to her to forbear. The noise reached the ears of all, and they came each from their separate occupations to know what was the matter, and I also walked from the tent for the same purpose. The moment I was perceived they all uttered joyful cries, and ran towards me, expressing their pleasure that I was at last awake; and I then learnt that the cause of their great silence was a wish to leave my repose as undisturbed as possible. I thanked them all, and was greatly relieved; and now there was no end to the gabble, which nearly made us forget the cause which had first broken the stillness.

But Smart came, sent by the captain's orders, to tell us not to throw more stones, or allow the dogs to go into the water, as the odd black things we saw were sharks. Some of the party were aghast, and some delighted at the notion of being on such familiar terms with creatures of whom we had only before read. We sent a message back to the captain to come to breakfast, which had been prepared under a vast plane tree, whose huge branches afforded us delightful shelter. He soon arrived, and greeted us all, in famous spirits. He shook our hands until they ached, he kissed the children a dozen times, and he talked broader Scotch than we had ever heard him do yet; also, he drank about fifteen cups of tea. We all did ample justice to our breakfast; and I was glad to see poor Madame quite merry, roused by the mirth and noise of the children.

Gatty.—"What a jolly island this is."

Oscar.—"Yes. Should you like to live here?"

Gatty.—"I'll be Robinson Crusoe, and you shall be my Man Friday."

Winny.—"You must be Mrs. Robinson Crusoe, Gatty, because you are a woman."

Mother.—"Then I suppose we had better go away, and leave you two here."

Oscar.—"Oh no! don't do that, but we will go and live at the top of that rock, and make believe to be Crusoe and Friday; only, Gatty, if I let you be Crusoe, you must let me have a gun, and I must not sit at your feet, and have to read, because I can do that already quite well. The best thing will be for us both to be Crusoe, and have no Friday at all, because I shall have to black myself."

Sybil.—"And I know that won't please you at all, you little Eton dandy, with your smart waistcoat, white tie, and shining boots."

Oscar.—"Why you know, aunt Sib, we are no longer sailors now. We must dress as shore-going folks. Besides, we don't know if there may not be company here."

Madame (turning quite pale).—"Oh dear! Do you think there are any savages likely to be near us. I have such a dread of them."

Capt. (laughing).—"Why, Ma'am, from all I could see of this island, there isn't much room for them and us, and there cannot be many of them at any rate. If there are, they will show themselves soon."

Schillie.—"I would advise an exploring excursion, that we may see who has possession of this island besides ourselves. It would be as well to know if we have foes, either man or beasts. I know one person," with a slight glance at me, "who will be as fidgety as she is high if her mind's not at rest. She'll see a savage in every bush, a tiger behind every stone, and sharks walking on the sand swallowing brats like pills. It did not seem very large, captain, though we can hardly tell now, walled in as we are by these great cliffs."

Capt.—"I think your advice very sensible, Madam. It will ease my mind too, very much, to know that you are exposed to no danger while I am busy overhauling the ship. Here comes Mr. Skead, and we'll take his opinion. Ah! good Mr. Austin, you're a sair miss."

This apostrophe to the memory of our kind good mate was heartily responded to by all. Amongst others who were lost in that fatal night was the old Scotch sailor; but the subject was so painful to us, we never recurred to it, if possible. We could not recover the shock of such a fatal parting from our late companions.

We gave Mr. Skead some breakfast, and then entered into a discussion of plans, in which every one took a part. The captain declared that La Luna must be overhauled, that all her cargo must be taken out, and that he had work for fifty men, and had but ten to do it, himself and Mr. Skead making twelve, Smart and Benjie fourteen. And yet every voice pronounced, "we must go and explore." The good captain was sorely puzzled, and in his perplexity talked Scotch to an unintelligible degree. Every day was of consequence until he had discovered what injury the ship had received. We, on our parts, declared it was impossible to sleep or rest in peace while we were subjected to any unknown enemy rushing out upon us.

Schillie.—"Good lack! What a noise. Pray be quiet for a moment, and listen to common sense. Why should the captain go exploring at all. Let him remain with his men and ship, and give us Smart and some guns, and we will go and explore."

A dead silence followed this announcement of Schillie's. At last, exclaimed Gatty, "It will be capital fun." "So it will," said Sybil. "Most delightful," said Serena. "I want so much to climb up those cliffs," said Zoë. "I want to gather flowers," said Winny. "I want to kill a lion," said Oscar. "I wish to climb up a cocoa-nut tree, and get mama some cocoa-nut milk," said Felix. "And I," said Lilly, "want to stay here and pick up shells. Oh, mama, such shells, I never, never, never saw such lovely——" here I put my hand on her little mouth, while Madame exclaimed, "My dearest children, my darling girls, are you mad. What, go up those frightful rocks, exposed to the dangers of wild beasts, get torn and scratched amongst the forest, scorched and burnt by the sun. My dear young ladies, believe me, I cannot permit such indecorum." Blank looks followed, while I, taking Madame's hand; said in a deprecating tone, "You know, dear Madame, we are in peculiar circumstances, and we must all do our duty in the small circle to which we are now reduced. As it is so necessary that the captain should examine the ship, and as we cannot help in that, I think we may as well try our talents in exploring. I think you will have no objection to the girls going if the two mothers go also."

Madame.—"Oh! my dear Madam, think not of it. Remember how precious your life is. Think what would become of us should anything occur to either of you. I feel quite incapable of filling your place; and a thousand unseen dangers are preferable to your leaving us for a moment."

Mother.—"Thank you very much, Madame, for your very kind interest. Be assured I will do nothing rashly. What do you say, captain?"

Capt.—"Why I must say, Madam, every day I live with you ladies adds to my wonderment. You are no ladies, but brave fine warriors, and nothing will daunt you. There is not a man in the world has such a soul as she has," pointing to Schillie. "I'll wager my mither's silver punch bowl that she's afraid of nothing. You can fire a gun, no doubt, Ma'am?"

Oscar.—"Yes, to be sure, and a pistol too, and she can load them also."

Capt. (gazing at her with great admiration).—"Well then, she's as good as another man. There will be Smart and her, and as you must go quietly, they will be quite enough."

The three girls exclaimed, "But we want to go, captain; we don't fear anything, and we will be very brave. If you show us how to fire off a gun, we will do it."

Schillie.—"Pooh, pooh, girls. I should like to know what peace and quiet there would be with you three magpies after us."

Mother.—"I don't see the advantage of going quietly; though I hope we shall do so peaceably. I think the larger the party the better; and I therefore propose that Hargrave and Jenny cook the dinner wanted here, and by that means Benjie can be spared, who will be very useful, as he is acquainted with the bush and all the things about these places of which we are ignorant. Therefore, let Smart and Benjie go first, you next, then the three girls and Oscar and I will bring up the rear."

Schillie was about making a remonstrance, when we were interrupted by a burst of weeping, most outrageous in its noise; and, between sobs and passion, Felix blurted forth his indignation and disappointment at not being included in the party. Taking him up from the ground, where he had thrown himself in his passion, the good captain tried to console him—"Come now, come, my little man, don't fret so. Don't you know we want you here. How could the dear little girls and the good old lady do without such a grand protector as you."

Felix (blubbering).—"I hate taking care of girls, they do such silly work, and I won't take care of Madame; and if lions and tigers come, they may kill them themselves, for I won't do it for any of them."

Even the too indulgent Mother could not help laughing at the absurdity of such a frit killing tigers and lions, looking not much bigger than an impudent monkey. Fresh tears followed the universal laughter. "Well then, my man," continued the captain, "you shall come on board with me. I want a very clever active hand to help me."

Felix.—"I hate the ship, and I won't go on board. She is a nasty creature, and nearly drowned us all."

This impudence was too much for the captain, so he put him down with an ejaculation, "Ech! but you're a fashious bairn;" and how long he might have continued to roar we know not, but between his tears his eye suddenly caught sight of the cow, who, either intoxicated by all the fresh sweet grass she had eaten, or having risen in particularly good spirits, was indulging in a series of antics, equally ludicrous and unbecoming in such a sober creature. With the tears rolling down his cheeks, he clapped his hands and shouted with glee. Smart took advantage of the favourable moment, and said, in a commanding voice, "Sir, I'll thank you to catch us some fish to-day; they are jumping in buckets-full, and we shall want some supper agin we return."

This restored the smiles, and, with rod in hand, away he went in happiest spirits; and ere we were ready to depart, such was the change in the state of his feelings, that he privately confided to his brother, he thought him a great muff to go toiling up the rocks instead of stopping with him to catch the fish that were jumping about, almost asking to be taken out.

The captain gave us many orders and directions, charged Smart and Benjie with innumerable cautions, and finally dismissed us with hearty good wishes and fervent hopes for our safe return. Madame was too much agitated to speak, and could only wave her adieus. Jenny and Hargrave, who were assisting in our preparations, each in their own way expressed their feelings. The former declaring she would be glad of a quiet day to get through a lot of washing, the latter grumbling that the young ladies would spoil their clothes and get them torn, while both had indistinct visions of snakes and dragons snapping us up, lions and tigers leaving only our bones as sad memorials, savages or monsters running away with us! Fortified by these ideas, we emerged from the tent, properly equipped, and then had to take leave of the little girls. Their notions all tended towards the pleasurable kind, and had we been in a civilized place, spectators might have imagined we were starting for a good day's shopping in London or elsewhere, provided they had interpreted the young ladies' wishes as toys and not real live creatures. "I'll thank you to bring me a monkey and some grapes," said Felix. "I also wish for a monkey," said Winny. "No, no, Winny," said Zoë, "don't have a monkey, they smell so. Let us have each a parrot." "Oh yes, yes, a parrot. Bring Zoë a green one and me a blue one," said Winny, "A blue one, you stupid girl," said Oscar, "there never was a blue one in all the world." "Then I will have a yellow one; red parrots are so common and vulgar," Lilly said, "but whatever you do, mind and bring us some cocoa-nuts." We promised to do our best, and started, not in the order I proposed, but with Benjie in the rear. Hard work it was, and many times did we stop, pretending to admire the view, watching the dear ones below, answering their signals, but only with an object to gain breath for fresh exertions. It took us quite an hour and a half to get to the top, during which we frightened innumerable quantities of birds, and disturbed a vast number of lizards. The latter alarmed some of us very much, and they turned their large serious odd eyes upon us as if in wonderment at our appearance, gliding so imperceptibly from our sight, that it seemed as if they dissolved in air. Once at the top, we sat down to rest and eat, for, by the captain's advice, we determined not to stir during the hot part of the day. We of course had the dogs with us, but they were kept to heel by Smart, to avoid rousing any enemy. After cooling ourselves, and recovering our breath, we had leisure to examine the exquisite beauty of everything around us. Anything like the trees with the foliage of every shade of green, and creepers with stems as thick as the trees in our country could not be imagined. Whatever fears the girls might have had, they seemed all to have vanished; and they sat talking and laughing with the same glee and unconcern as if they had been in the garden at home. During the noise they were making, we had not perceived that Benjie had left us. Presently he returned with a vine clinging round him, covered with ripe luscious grapes. We were enchanted, and had only one drawback, that we could not send any one below. Madame would have enjoyed them so much, and it was so hot on the shore, compared to the breeze we were enjoying. Benjie, comprehending our words, said, "Hi, Benjie, cook that for them, hi, Benjie, first-rate good cook, and send a pye-grape down to Miss Winny." Miss Winny was his pet, because when the little girls with more openness and candour than civility, expressed their horror of a black cook, Winny had endeavoured to soften the matter as much as possible, declaring that even if he had a black face he had whiter teeth than anybody else, and she was sure that if he could he would have washed himself long ago, "Besides," she ended, "he is so kind and gentle, that I am sure his mind and soul are white." Benjie understood quite enough to make him Winny's slave for life.

He soon returned to us with some enormous gourds. The girls jumped up in delight, and Gatty seizing hold of one, attempted to carry it—suddenly she uttered a shriek, dropped her gourd, and ran behind us all; a large green lizard peeped out of a hole in the gourd, and peering about for a few moments, finally crawled out, followed by innumerable little ones, who disappeared like magic in the grass. Nothing would induce Gatty to touch the gourd again, Benjie soon scooped one out, and, putting green leaves inside, filled it with grapes, and, covering the hole with some strong shiny green leaves, gathered from a tree close by, he gave a shout, using his favourite word "Hi!" Not only did the sky become dark with the clouds of birds which arose at that unearthly cry, but various noises in the bushes made us huddle together in fear and alarm. However, it effected his object, and we could see them eagerly, and apparently in alarm, looking up from below. Benjie showed every tooth in his head, and, swinging his gourd round and round, he sent it bounding down from point to point, until it fell as if on purpose, nearer to little Winny than any of the other spectators. Nevertheless, as might be expected, Benjie's "pie-grape" was somewhat damaged in its descent. We, however, sent them some more, and a note inside one, to say we were all merry and well, and greeted them right lovingly.

It was now time to move on, Smart took Oscar up and seated him on his shoulders, saying, "Now, Sir, keep watch up there, and if you see anything coming just let me know, and, particklarly, a beere, Sir, I have a notion I should like to kill a beere ere I die." Oscar promised faithfully, and added, "But I shall not tell you of an elephant, as I want to shoot that myself." "As you please, Sir," said the willing Smart, "but I will keep my gun ready in case you misses him."

The point we were aiming for was the highest part of the island; hitherto we had great difficulty in forcing our way, though we all used our hatchets without remorse, Gatty bestowing much unnecessary labour in the matter. We were beginning to think our adventure rather stupid; not a sign of any animal had we seen, great or small, no dragons, no griffins, no snakes, no anything. Our dissatisfaction might soon have found words, had not Oscar, from his elevated seat, called vehemently on Smart to stop. "What is it, Sir, a beere or a helephant?" "Go back, Smart, just under that tree. Now then stop, stand steady, while I scramble up here. I thought so, look! look! did you ever see anything so droll." So saying, he pulled out from the branches of a huge tree two quiet, wise-looking parrots, not quite fledged, that were seated side by side in a hole in the tree. They did not seem in the least discomposed, but gazed on us with great gravity. "They are neither blue nor yellow, but dear mother, they will just do for the little girls. Pray let me take them home." I was very loathe to give leave, I could not help thinking somebody might be only in the next bush, ready to take away my nestlings. Everybody added their entreaties, so it was agreed as we must return the way we came, if we found them again we would politely request their company home with us.

So that matter being settled, Smart resumed his burden, warning his young master to be more quiet in his next announcement, if he had nothing better to encounter than a nest of parrots. We found grapes in every direction. Benjie also showed us the Banana tree, gave us a perfect volume of his discovering yams, and danced with glee before a small plantation of sugar canes. Yet all this time we saw no living thing but birds. We were enchanted with the flowers, their size and colour were beyond all description, at last we came to an open glade, and through this ran the stream, which fell over the cliffs into the sea. The trees were gigantic, and Benjie in his broken English, endeavoured to describe them all to us, telling us their Indian names, and their qualifications. Here following the stream a little way, we peeped over the precipice, and by the help of glasses I saw all our belongings at dinner, our feeble shouts were of course unheard, and now for the first time, we heard a noise, a rustling in the bushes. I turned pale, Sybil, Gatty, and Serena ran to each other. Schillie raised her gun and looked at the bushes with a determined eye. We all stood breathless. It came nearer and nearer, the bushes absolutely crashed with the sound. It could be nothing but an elephant, or rather a dozen of them. At the distance of a few hundred yards was a gigantic tree. To our amazement this tree, without a breath of wind to stir a leaf, shook and trembled in every branch, sometimes it waved with a solemn and slow motion, and again it was agitated in the most violent manner. Benjie fell flat on his face, apparently in a fit, as we stood transfixed with amazement. Smart, whose courage rose with the excitement, signed to the dogs to go forward. They nothing loathe, sprang into the bushes, and made straight for the tree. It quivered no more; but a dreadful howl from one of the dogs, bespoke something horrible. The other fleeing before some enemy, for we heard him yelling with fear, and the sound gradually died away, as did the crashing and noise, we had heard before. We waited some minutes in silence, when Smart asked Oscar in a low voice if he could see anything. "Nothing" was the boy's reply. "Get down then, Sir, and let me see what ails blacky." For a black man it was strange to see how livid Benjie was, and he trembled in every limb. "Come, come, Snow-balls," said Smart, "what are you quaking about?" "Me dead wid fear, masser Smart." "You need not tell me that, you sneak," muttered Smart, "come get up, and let's go to yon tree, and see if the old gentleman holds court there." "No, no masser Smart, please ma'am, do ma'am, I dead, I dead." "But what is it, Benjie, that frightens you so?" said I. "Oh! ma'am, dat no elephant, dat no bear. Good elephant, good bear to that. It some horrid thing, great big monkey, or worse and worse great big snake." "Well it's gone now, whatever it do be, old hero, so get up, and come along, I am going to see what's there." "I'll go too, Smart," said Schillie, "leave the boy behind." They went slowly and cautiously, but presently called on us to come. We obeyed, and after passing thro' the hedge of thick underwood that was before us, we came to a beautiful open glade, sloping down in smooth banks or terraces to a little lake, from whence flowed the stream so often mentioned. The south and west sides of this valley were closed in with precipitate rocks, and the most conspicuous object in this lovely spot, was the large tree, whose extraordinary motions, had so bewildered us. Smart and Schillie were underneath it. "Did you ever see such a glorious fellow," said Schillie, pointing to the tree. "H'd cut into a sight of timber," said Smart, whose manners were fast acquiring the familiarity and sociability consequent upon our being so intimately connected in various ways, since our misfortunes. I never saw such a tree, but we all looked at it, with awe, expecting it to begin again its mysterious movements. There was a disagreeable odour pervading the air, that made us feel sick. Nothing however was to be seen, broken branches, and the mark of some large creature might be traced all about the place. Smart whistled for his dogs, but they either did not hear him, or as he feared, they must have been killed. We soon returned to where we had left Benjie, quite amazed at the beauty of the place, but bewildered with the strangeness of this event, and the total disappearance of both enemy and dogs. Finding him still overcome, we decided to prosecute our searches no further, after we had made one excursion up to the top of the cliff, when there, we had a full and perfect view of the whole island, which appeared about three miles across, four long, and about thirteen miles round. It seemed bathed in tranquil peaceful beauty, we saw no movement, heard no sound, and but for the unseen enemy, we should have supposed that excepting birds, we were the only living things on the island. We now began to be weary, and foot sore, so we gladly turned our faces homewards, the descent being much more speedy than the ascent, as might be supposed. We could get nothing out of Benjie, more than groans and bewailings. We picked up the two little parrots, loaded ourselves with fruit and flowers, and curiosities, and it might have been imagined that we had been absent years, from the welcome that was given us on our return. Never was such a noisy supper, or so much talking, but the captain was quite puzzled at learning that we had seen nothing alive, and he looked grave and serious at hearing the adventure about the tree. The children had been so occupied tasting all the different fruits and luxuries we had brought home, that they had forgotten the blue and yellow parrots. Oscar had said nothing about them, but now supper being over, the excitement a little quelled, the talking rather subdued, he ran to a little hole in the rock, and hiding the birds with his cap, his bright eyes and radiant smile showed he had more pleasure in store for them. How delighted they were, when they were at last allowed a peep, what earnest requests from every one, that they might have them for their own. "How can that be," said Oscar, "here you are, three girls, and there are only two parrots, and I spied them out, so I ought to have one at least." "Then may I have the other," said the three little girls at once. "No," said Felix, "I must have it. We are lords of the creation and ought to be served before you girls."

"Oh! master Felix," whispered Jenny, "for shame, sir, ladies are always served first, real gentlemen always give way to ladies." "Well! but, Jenny, how can they all three have it, I'd like to know, besides it looks so wise at me, I know it will love me best. Let mama decide," said Oscar, "yes, yes, yes," said each little girl, and each came flying with an eager petition to where we all sat. "Oh," said Schillie, "humph, so you are fighting about the parrots, for my part (peeping into the nest), I have always heard that parrots make a capital pie." "Oh, oh, oh, little mother, how cruel you are." We laughed at this dismay, and Gatty said, "yes, I'll crunch their bones like Grumbo the giant." But the captain made amends for our cruelty, and if he had had his own way, would have marched up instantly in search of three more parrots; luckily the darkness came on so quickly that we were all obliged to make preparation for retiring, Felix being fixed on as the fortunate possessor of the other parrot, partly because I did not like to single out one little girl more than another, and partly because Oscar wished it. Besides the captain promised the little girls a perfect flock of parrots the first opportunity. So we all bid each other good night, Felix as the last thing, giving Jenny a practical proof that her lessons were not thrown away, by declaring that she must put the girls to bed before him, as ladies were to be served first.

With grateful hearts, we slept soundly and rose refreshed.

CHAPTER X.

It was so hot down on the sands that we agreed to move half way up the cliff, where a cool breeze from the sea blew morning and evening. The brook fell over a shelf of rock, about ten feet in depth, and then lay calm and quiet in a fair round pool. Two or three palms were on one side and a large Spanish chestnut on the other, giving us ample shade. We had a lovely view of the whole bay, and were, as we thought, quite secure from any dangers above, the rock being very precipitate, but the dogs never came home, which gave us very great uneasiness. While the others were busily employed running up and down to bring our goods and chattels, to the new abode, I, and the two little girls arranged them as they were brought up. They were merrily singing on one side of the brook, clearing a place for the tent to be placed, while I, on the other, was arranging seats for a dining place. Suddenly the song ceased abruptly. Looking up to see the cause, as well as that of a sudden crashing noise, I saw the little girls gazing in speechless amazement at the great chestnut tree, and again, without apparent cause, I beheld the huge branches shake and quiver like an aspen tree in the storm. I sprang across the stream, and stood before the little girls. From between the branches there appeared and disappeared a horrible head, with glittering eyes and forked tongue, and, as I gazed still more the whole tree seemed to me to be enveloped in the folds of an enormous serpent.

The little girls now began to utter shriek upon shriek, which brought Serena with the speed of a lapwing to our side. "Take the children away," I whispered, "fly, fly, quickly." "Run, little ones, run," she said, feeling there was danger, but hardly realizing the full horrors of it. They obeyed her, and, as their little forms appeared from behind us, fleeing for their lives, the monster looked out still further from the groaning tree, his diamond eyes fixed upon their receding frames.

Fold after fold seemed rapidly unwinding from the branches. In the agony of the moment Serena flung a hatchet she had in her hand at the head she now for the first time saw. A frightful hiss, and a loathsome and deadly odour, told us it had taken effect. Again it coiled itself round the tree, which rocked and groaned with its furious movements. Faint with fear and the horrible smell, I knew not my own voice, as I said to Serena, "Fly, child, fly, and send help; and you also." She said, "Nay, one must stay, it must have one victim to save the others." "No, no, let us both go, I will not go without you, Serena, I command you go, it comes nearer and nearer." "No, no, I will die with you." She threw her arms round me, burying her face in my neck, to avoid seeing the dreadful jaws opening so near us. I flung her off, and thought would it not be better for us to be dashed to pieces over the rocks than to be grasped in those deadly coils. "We will both fly," I said; we turned and fled. I looked behind; he was not more than thirty yards from us. I tried to shout and scare him with my voice, but all sound died away in my throat. My heart seemed to stop beating; my utterance to be choked. Everything seemed to be moving with the same angry springing motion of the snake. Nothing stopped our flight; heedless of every impediment we bounded over stones, bushes, gulleys, rocks; but each glance showed him advancing. We now came to an open smooth platform of turf, from whence I knew there was a precipitous fall of twenty feet, unless we hit upon the right spot to descend. "We must throw ourselves down," I whispered. "Anywhere with you," she answered, "but, oh horrible fate, was that another monster just before us or the same?" No, there was but one, he was before us, round us, everywhere; and he knew he had us safe, for his eyes grew larger and more glowing as he bounded and leaped on every side of us, each bound and each leap bringing him nearer. Was there no escape? Yes, almost before I saw it myself the monster's quick eye has discerned two horns rising with the sloping ground, and with one bound which threw us both down, he darted forward. A rushing deadly wind seemed to blow over us, and, ere it was past, the crashing bones, and dying bellow of the cow gave us warning of the horrible fate from which she had saved us.

We helped each other to rise, and scrambling down the rock, we never stopped or spoke until we sunk breathless by the tents, where the little girls had only just arrived. But it was many minutes ere we could tell the frightful scene going on above. We clung together and all drew within the tent, while Smart went to summon the captain. The poisonous breath of the monstrous creature made Serena and myself the victims of successive fainting fits, we had the greatest difficulty in swallowing anything, and only revived under the influence of strong salts, and constant fanning. Our features assumed the paleness of death, and a cold dew rolled in large drops from our foreheads. The moment we raised our heads dreadful sickness overcame us, and when the captain and his men arrived, we were totally unable to give any particulars beyond the creature being monstrous and the cow destroyed. The captain desired every one to keep as quiet as possible, and directed the sides of the tent to be raised to give us air and our faces and heads to be sponged with cold vinegar and water. He entreated no one to be alarmed as the serpent would not leave his prey, and might be a day or two swallowing it, during which time we were quite safe. And afterwards in his gorged state he would be an easy victim. Towards evening Benjie crept up as near the spot as he dared, and came down reporting the snake was still occupied in reducing the poor cow to a shapeless mass, and had not even begun to swallow his intended meal. Even his dark skin shewed the fear and horror he was in, his look being quite pallid, and his eyeballs livid, his teeth chattering. He declared the snake to be the most monstrous of its kind ever seen, and called it an anaconda. On the second evening the captain, Smart, and Benjie all went cautiously up. When they returned the good captain seemed unable to express his mixed feelings, amazement at its large size, horror at what might have been our fate, thankfulness at our merciful escape, all overcame him. He could only wring our hands, and loudly and earnestly thank God.

After a while he took the two little girls in his arms, and said, "Oh! my darlings, my little precious ones, had you found a horrible grave in those dreadful jaws, swallowed as if you had been two little innocent lambs, I must have laid my head on the nearest stone, and burst my heart with sorrow." Smart openly blubbered like a great school boy as he described to Oscar, "that it was the awfullest worm he ever seed, and that the poor cow was nothing but a bloody, broken mass enough to break the heart of a toad in a stone." It had only swallowed half its meal, and the tail was still so active and full of muscular movement that the captain did not deem it safe to try to destroy it till the next evening.

He particularly requested Schillie and every body that could, to come up and see the creature before the men cut it up, saying, they might live one thousand years, and never see such a sight again. So they all set off, leaving Serena and I to the care of Hargrave, who declared that if St. George and the Dragon were fighting up above, she would not leave her mistress to see them. Schillie came back very soon, and folded me in her arms, while the tears rained down her cheeks; not a word said she, but so unusual a sight told me all she felt.

Bye and bye all came down, poor Madame clasping her hands, invoking blessings and showering kisses on her pupil Serena. The little ones were in full fuss, especially the two who had first seen the snake, and who now detailed all their fears and feelings at full length. "Mama," said Felix, "I gave him a good kick with my thick nailed boots for daring to think of eating you." Gatty, from a similar feeling, had indulged herself with chopping the tail into little bits, and even the gentle and sweet Sybil had bestowed some very hard words, let alone blows, on the inanimate body. "Well! now then," said I, "captain, I wish to go on board as soon as possible." "Why? why? why?" sounded on all sides. "Because there may be more of these snakes on the island," said I, with a shudder.

"No, Madam, no, you may rest assured, the only enemy you have on this island is now dead. I can assure you I have until now been much puzzled to account for the lack of living things on this luxuriant and lonely island, save birds. The sight of this anaconda has solved the mystery; he has depopulated it (if I may so say) of every creeping or four-footed thing. Nay, I am also certain it has destroyed its own kind too. By what means it became of so monstrous a size I know not; but, having become so, it was lord or master of the island; moreover, I am certain that of late its food has run extremely short; nothing but extreme hunger could have driven it down those sharp rocks, in search of us, the prey it saw below it." In many places it was bleeding besides the wound given it by the hatchet, and three or four inches of skin had been rubbed off in various parts, evidently quite fresh, and done in descent. Also, if it had not been weakened for want of food, such an enormous creature would not have been so long demolishing the cow.

"But, captain, can you account for its making all those hideous gambols at us, and not springing at us directly as it did at poor Daisy." "Yes, Madam, it had never seen the likes of you before. Your clothes made it fearful; but they never attack people unless angry or frantic from hunger, as I am sure he was. But, to set you at rest, Madam, to-morrow, spite of all my anxiety about the ship, every man of us will join parties, and we will go from one end of the island to another. We'll not leave a bush unexplored, or a corner unvisited, and then I know your mind will be easy." "I thank you, captain, that it will. Now, give the men each some grog, for I see them coming down, and let us all have supper and go to bed."

CHAPTER XI.

So we accordingly did, and long ere we were awake in the morning the captain and all his men, including Smart and Oscar, had departed to execute his plans. We busied ourselves in preparing them a good supper against their return; we had also all a dip in the sea, in a little natural bath in the rocks, where no sharks could get at us. Finally, not without misgivings, we all went up to look once more on the anaconda. That evening, if they returned in time, it was to be skinned; the shiny, scaly covering being to be preserved as a memorial of the event, and the loathsome remains were to be thrown to the sharks. While we were standing looking at its huge length, we heard shouts from above, and saw the exploring party coming home. They soon joined us, the captain delighted at being able to say that a large rat seemed our only wild beast while Smart grumbled, and said he "did not think there was a beere on the hisland." They had done as they promised, and not left a part of the island unvisited.

They brought us home quantities of grapes, prickly pears, yams, bananas, cocoa-nuts, with what would have been magnificent flowers but the hot tropical climate withered them almost as soon as gathered. Oscar and Smart seemed to have some great secrets between them, and, after keeping Felix and the little girls in suspense for some time, Smart put his hand into his pocket, and brought out a tiny, little, droll-looking monkey. Shrieks of delight were heard, Felix exclaiming above all, "Oh give him to me, let him be mine; oh the darling fellow." The little creature, with its wild sorrowful eyes, looked from one face to the other, and, at last, making a spring, it jumped into Felix's arms, and, nestling its little head in his pinafore, grinned at everybody, as much as to say, "Now, I don't care for you." Felix was by no means backward in returning this spontaneous affection, spite of the little girls' civil remark "that he was so like a monkey the little thing took him for his father and mother."

We went to rest all very happy and contented, and enjoyed a week of the merriest gipsy life that could be imagined. Both the parrots and the monkey were getting quite familiar, and at home with us, taking to their education comfortably.

At the end of that time, after the young ones had gone to bed, the captain asked me how we liked this life? There was not a dissentient voice. "Then," said he, "I think this a favourable opportunity to propose a plan to you; it has been in my mind for some days. I only waited until I saw whether it would be as agreeable, as it seems to me inevitable." We waited in breathless expectation. He looked round us all as he said, "How would you like staying here another six weeks?" "Very much indeed! Beyond every thing. It is just what we wanted. It would be most jolly." Schillie wound up by saying, "It is extremely stupid, and I should not like it at all." "Would you not?" said the captain, with kind concern, laying great stress on the you; "Oh but ye must, I'd never take ye to sea, and La Luna in such a leaky state." "What, captain, how! pray explain yourself." "Well, if I must tell the truth, the more we have examined the ship the more fearful are we to trust you all on board of her." Heaps of voices now interrupted the captain. "But what are we to do? How are we to get away? We don't want to stay here for ever. That would be too much of a good thing." "Silence, girls," said I, "do let us hear what the captain proposes." "This is my proposal then, Madam. Emptied of her cargo, and with as few hands in her as possible, La Luna will run nicely to St. Domingo, or some of the parts lying to the westward, and belonging to South America; and, even should she fail, we men can take to the boat, and, at all events make for some place, where we can procure a vessel to come for you." "But La Luna won't sink, surely we shall not lose her; we don't want any ship but her. Don't you know how you love her yourself, captain?" "So I do! so I do! young ladies, and I am fain to allow it's as much for her sake as yours, that I want to take her to some port to get properly repaired. She has strained so much that her ribs are quite bent, and, lying as she does, exposed to this hot sun, her seams are bursting asunder in all directions. She is too much damaged for us to repair, so as to make it safe for you to go in her. Therefore, Madam, will you let me take her empty to St. Domingo, where I will immediately charter a vessel for your use, and leave La Luna in dock to be repaired against we come for her." "But, supposing anything was to happen; supposing she was to founder and all hands be lost, what would become of us?" "I would not have proposed such a scheme, Madam, did I not feel sure there would be no danger of such a thing happening; and, any way, it is better you should be left on this island, for the chance of a ship coming this way, than liable to go down to the bottom of the sea, without the power of man to save you." "I am not so sure of that, captain, I think I should prefer all sinking or swimming together." "At any rate, Madam," added the captain, "having unburdened my mind, I'll leave you to sleep over the matter. Tak time to consider, and let me know your wull in the morning."

CHAPTER XII.

Not all the taking time to consider, "nor all the morns" that ever came reconciled Schillie to the captain's plan. For my part I liked it, and am free to own that I entered into all the fun, and oddities the young ones proposed to themselves in living for six weeks al fresco. Madame had great misgivings about the matter. She did not think lessons would prosper; the cultivation of ladylike behaviour would be very difficult—manners would be at a very low ebb—music would be utterly abolished, and she was fast approaching a declaration on Schillie's side, when Serena, by a master-stroke of policy, brought her round. "We will speak any language you like, Madame," said she, "whatever we are doing, we can always speak in the language you order us." "So you can, my love," said Madame, most benignantly, "so I desire at once that you speak French, Mondays and Thursdays; Italian, Tuesdays and Fridays; German, Wednesdays and Saturdays."

"Oh come, come," said Gatty, "that's too bad, how am I ever to get all the nonsense, that is in my head, out if I am only to talk English on Sundays."

"My dear! you ought to have no nonsense in your head."

"But there it is, Madame, and you will be very angry if I break the Sabbath, by making puns and guessing jokes all Sunday."

"My dear Gertrude, your spirits carry you quite too far."

"Then think, Madame, what they will be on Sundays if my spirits are corked up all the other six days."

"I have not the least objection to your making puns either in French, Italian, or German."

"You're extremely kind, Madame, and I should feel most grateful for such kind permission, had I the least perception how I can profit by it."

"It is my wish that you all should understand those languages equally as well as your own."

"I have no doubt, Madame, that you will always be able to wish us such proficiency."

"No doubt, my dear child, no doubt, and that is the only drawback to my pleasure on the voyage, namely the number of interruptions and constant holidays you obtain."

"You are a pert young lady, Miss Gatty," said Schillie, "and had better leave the Mother to settle with Madame; come with me and let us see what fish the boys have got for supper."

I promised Madame that regular school should be held every day, and our conversation was put an end to, by the arrival of the captain. He wanted the assistance of every body, to get La Luna afloat that evening; with infinite trouble this was done, and we were all worn out with heat and fatigue by tea-time. But La Luna floated once more, and looked as lovely and graceful on the water. We were quite enchanted with her appearance. At tea, I proposed to the captain, that when he did leave us, he should take Smart and Benjie with him, instead of their remaining with us, for I had found out from the maids, and the boys, that the captain was very anxious to have them, being doubtful about managing the ship with so few men, and it was agreed that they could be of no use to us, as we were exposed to no dangers, and they would be of infinite use to the captain, and ensure his return much sooner; much therefore to Smart's disgust it was decided that he was to be exposed once more to what he called "a ship-wrecked life." Schillie grew more reconciled to our being left on hearing this idea for she immediately took upon herself the care of us all, and the responsibility put her into some spirits on the subject. I asked when they meant to leave us. "The sooner the better," said she, "for then they will be the sooner back again." The captain said nothing, but he lingered over his tea, and told us so many things that we were to do, and to guard against, and seemed so low and oppressed, that I thought he was ill, or had over-worked himself. But he declared he was quite well, though he still repeated the same things, and he kissed and wished the little girls good-bye so often that they began to joke with him about his absence of mind. We were also all so tired, we longed to get to bed, yet he still sipped his tea, having had, as Sybil, the tea-maker whispered, eleven cups. "And horrible stuff it is without any milk," whispered Gatty back again, "I wonder at his taste." I began to be quite affected by his manner, while the others yawned, and yawned, until I thought all their jaws would be broken. Suddenly the darkness came on, as it always did, at once, and he was roused from his musings by eager good nights. His voice sounded rather strange as he returned our salutations, while the children declared his face was wet with tears. Schillie and I wondered to ourselves what could be the matter with him, as we undressed, the children noisily felicitating themselves that every body was obliged to go to bed at the same time that they were. But we were too weary to think much about it. It was not until early morning, when rising and opening the tent door, I looked out again to see the lovely scene we had admired so much the evening before. But did my eyes deceive me! Was I awake? Where was that object which had excited our admiration so much? I uttered a cry. Schillie ran to me; all awoke, and started from their beds. Every eye was strained, but what tongue could be the first to say that La Luna was gone; far away we could see her distant sails against the clear blue sky; we were alone, alone.

CHAPTER XIII.

All was explained now that had seemed to us extraordinary in our kind captain's conduct the evening before, and as we hurried down to the beach half in hopes not to find every one gone, we found at the usual dining place, a packet of papers put in a conspicuous situation, evidently meant to attract our notice. In this was a note from the captain, apologizing for departing in such a secret manner, but declaring that unless he had stolen away he could not have left us. That it was of such importance he should go and return ere the rainy season commenced, he could not even afford a day, and that he knew, however cheerful I might talk about the matter, my heart would misgive me, when the time came for him to leave, I might not probably grant him permission to go, when it was of the most vital importance he should. He was right in his last conjecture, the dread that came over me, as I read his letter, and looked at our helpless party, made me feel how truly he had judged me, tho' I so little knew it myself. The other papers consisted of directions, lists of what he had left, and where they were put. Also an account, written from Benjie's lips, as to what trees and fruits might be poisonous, what we had better avoid, and particular orders about the night air, the musquitos; in fact he seems to have left nothing for us to think of, and the papers wound up with many sweet messages to the children, and the dear young ladies, a characteristic speech to Schillie, a hope that the good old lady would not be nervous, or keep the children too long at their lessons, which was a bad thing in hot climates, and a very urgent appeal to all to be careful of her, whose heart was wrapped up in their happiness, to whom the breath of life came ebbing and flowing, according to the welfare and goodness of her precious charge.

There was a letter from Smart to the boys as follows, the spelling being corrected:—

"Honoured Young Gents,

"I hope this will find you, as it leaves me, in good health, but very low in my spirits. I hope you will be good honourable young gentlemen, and obey that good lady, your Mama; and also I hope you will learn your lessons, as a sight of learning is a good thing, tho' I don't rightly know who speaks them lingos as Madame talks. But, chiefly, my dear young gents, I write to say, I am very low in my spirits, and I shall have no peace until I see my dear young masters again. I have been very melancholy ever since that big worm swallowed my two dogs, and I now feel it more, as I should not have left you so uneasy in mind had they been left with you. They were rale good dogs, and would mind you, master Oscar, most as well as me. I am satisfied of one thing, that there is no beere in the hisland, and you won't be eat up, and certainly there never can be another such viper as that there, as took two dogs, swallowing Daisy. But I write, young gents, to beg you to be careful, and to mind them sharks; I have heard they swallow all things, and are particular fond of bright buttons, and jackets like yours, young masters, and also I have heard they have nine rows of teeth, so there will be no escape, like Jonah in the whale's belly. Now I charge you to be careful, woe's me, that ever I be going to leave you. My heart is just broke, but do, master Oscar, be good to your little brother, and don't put on him. He has a high spirit, and it is no doubt cantankerous, but he must be honourably treated, and there's never a finer temper to be seed.

"Well, my hand is weary of this cramping, tho' I have a deal more to say. My respectful duty to the mistress and all the ladies, and my love to the little ladies and Jane. My compliments to Mrs. Hargrave. May good angels guard my dear young masters.

"Your true sorrowful servant till death,
"T. SMART."

Leaving the others still to pore over the letters and directions, I wandered away to a shady nook, to recover the shock, only now did it weigh upon my mind, what a responsibility rested on my shoulders, and, for a time, I was quite overcome with the fears that took possession of my heart. How long I sat I know not, but a hand was laid on my arm, interrupting my reverie. "For what reasonable purpose are you moping here?" said Schillie. "I am very melancholy," I answered. "There is such a weight on my heart, I cannot think how I ever suffered the captain to leave." "And in the name of all that is ridiculous why did you not stop him when you could? Now that it has become impossible, like a spoilt child you are crying for them all back again."

"Don't speak so roughly, Schillie, I am sad enough without being upbraided by you."

"I don't want to upbraid you, but you were so bent on humouring the children it was no use talking common sense to you; otherwise I could have suggested plenty of notions better than leaving a pack of women and children alone on this wretched little island, dull as ditch water."

"Then pray mention one."

"Why what could be more easy, than for us all to wait together, until some vessel came by, and getting them to take us away or take a message?"

"You adjured me in the name of all that is ridiculous, pray may I ask in the name of all that's sensible why you did not mention this before?"

"Because I saw you so bent on your own plans, and because I don't particularly care what happens so long as I am with you, and lastly because it has only just come into my head."

"Well, then, don't scold me any more, but comfort, me, Schillie." "With all my heart, should anything happen to us, it will be a great comfort to think that the captain will come and take away our bones to England, and give them decent burial."

"How cruel you are, Schillie."

"But I am quite in the dark as to what you expect will happen; you are crying your eyes out for some misfortune, but, unless you tell me what you fear, how can I comfort you?"

"I fear so many things; here we are all alone, without a single efficient person amongst us." "Pray speak for yourself."

"Well! then, only you with a spark of courage amongst us; and we don't know what may be here."

"Now, that's nonsense, you know that there is scarcely a fly on the island that will do you harm."

"Well, then, those sharks!"

"And, who is going to walk into the mouth of a shark, I should be glad to know?"

"Nobody, certainly, but supposing a ship should come?"

"Then, we should have company, and a mighty good thing too. I think the society of women and children very mawkish for a continuance."

"But, then, supposing they should not be friends."

"Then that will be their own faults, we are not likely to quarrel with them."

"Stupid you are, Schillie! Don't you understand that they may take advantage of such a helpless party, and, if they are slavers may seize us, and sell us for slaves, and, if they are marauders or pirates they may murder or marry us!!!"

"Well! of those two latter fates one is as bad the other. But, I will comfort you by saying, nobody will want to marry you with that red nose. Really if you go on fretting in this manner, you'll wear yourself into an old hag. I see grey hairs and wrinkles springing up like mushrooms."

"Now, I'll return good for evil, and tell you that I never saw you looking so well; your eyes are quite dazzling, and, as for your figure, it has become slim and handsome."

"You may amuse yourself as you like about my dumpy figure, so long as you smile and are merry; but, come, wash your face in the brook, and let us join the rest. If the girls were to see you with that face they would screech beyond stopping; and, as for Madame, she would go into such a fit we should never be able to bring her round."

So I washed my face, but, in the middle of the business, said Schillie, "You never told me what we should do if pirates and slaves come?"

"Do! Why, of course we would do the best we could. Wait till they come, and then see if we don't do something. For my part I am not going to be sold for a slave, and, as for a pirate's wife, there will be two words about that matter. I don't intend to darn any one's stockings, and I hate ordering dinner, both of which events occur, I suppose, in the establishments of pirates, as well as more homely folk. Come, don't be absurd, we have only six weeks to stay here, and we'll enjoy ourselves as much as we can."

"Very well, I won't bother you any more, but we will join the others, and settle what everybody is to do to pass away the time."

"Pooh! pooh! the time will pass quick enough. Why need ye fuss? But, if we have regular habits so much the better for the girls."

"Nonsense, let the poor girls lead the life of larks for a change, they will never have such another opportunity. You and I will always be together, and you shall talk to me, and Madame may ruralize on that green terrace with her book and big parasol; depend upon it we shall be happy."

"Now, it is my turn to say pooh! pooh! Don't you know that even the larks have to work to get them food?"

"Oh certainly, that I allow. I have no objection to help myself. I can cook a beefsteak and make lobster salad against any one."

"First catch your beefsteak and lobster, saith Mrs. Glass. But here are Madame and the girls."

"We are quite lost without our Mothers," said the girls as they sprang towards us. "Here's Madame, wanting us to do lessons," said Gatty, sending her great thumb right through her handkerchief. "I never heard of gipsies saying lessons and we are now no better than gipsies," said Serena.

"Or people at a pic-nic," said Sybil. "Madame, the next six weeks must be one great pic-nic; do consent, now do; we will sketch if you like, and sing songs, and eat and drink for ever."

"Saucy girls," said Madame, smiling most kindly on them, "but I am sure your Mama would not allow such thorough waste of time," assuming a slight austerity of manner.

"Oh yes she will, Madame," said Schillie, "so betake yourselves off girls, wherever you choose, provided you don't come and bother us."

"Leave them alone, Madame," said I, in answer to her beseeching looks at me, "let them have their own way for a day or two, and you will find them come to you and beg for a dose of the multiplication table."

"Now, that's very comfortable, girls, you have leave to go to the moon if you choose, and, Madame, I'll go for your parasol and book, and you can amuse yourself on that sunny bank, watching us all," said Schillie.

But Madame was much more easily disposed of than the girls, in spite of Schillie's broad hints, and, at last, open remonstrances, that they would go about their own business, not one would stir.

"What's the use of a holiday, unless we may spend it with our Mothers?" said Sybil.

"That's all that we want a holiday for," said Serena, "that we may be with you all day."

"Yes," said Gatty, "this is most jolly, and now you may have one side of the big Mother, and Sybil shall have the other; Serena shall sit behind her, and I'll sit here," throwing herself down at our feet with such force that we both sprang up with pain.

"How do you like this lark's life?" said I, laughing.

"Good lack, girls, do you mean to say that you are going to be such geese, as to sit here all day? Have you no curiosity to examine those caves, no wish to discover figs and plums, no ambition to get on the top of that rock?"

"No," said Sybil, "our curiosity is at a low ebb, our wishes are quite fulfilled at being seated here, and we have no ambition but to remain."

"Indeed, Miss Sybil, your tongue runs very glibly, but if you think I am going to stand the bore of the company of you girls all day you are mistaken, and, good lack, look at my handkerchief, with a hole in it a dog could get through."

"Indeed, I beg your pardon, little Mother," said Gatty, reddening all over, "I thought it was mine."

"And, does that make the matter any better? Can't you employ your fingers any better than making holes in your handkerchiefs?"

"It's a way larks have," said I.

Schillie rose up in a huff.

"Come," said I, "let us all go and have a dip in the sea."

We all agreed to this, and we also agreed we would make an extensive bathing place, where we could learn to swim, and yet be out of harm from the sharks. In this matter every one helped. We rolled stones down to the water, and then, placed them so as to form a wall or pier into the sea, at twenty yards distance; from that we made another, and we sloped them so as to make their ends nearly meet. "Thus," as Oscar said, "leaving only room for a baby shark to get in."

"And we shall not mind that," said Zoë, "for it would not have cut its teeth."

It took us two or three days to do this, but that evening at tea, being heartily fatigued, we agreed to sit still and talk over all we should do.

"Oscar and I intend to fish all day," said Felix, "and you may be very much obliged to us, because it's very—"

"Very what, Felix," said his sister, who loved to tease him, "very tiresome, I suppose you mean."

"No; not tiresome exactly, but very fatiguing."

"Oh very fatiguing indeed, I dare say, and you know you would cry like a baby if any one prevented you fishing."

"Lilly, you are so aggravating, I wish Winny was my sister, that I do, for she is so kind, and it's hard the only sister I have should tease me in this manner."

The faithful Jenny was at hand to take the part of each, and please both, while she put an end to the dispute.

"But, Mama," said Lilly, "if the boys do nothing but fish all day, may we little girls pick up shells; ah you cannot think what lovely shells there are; I am going to make a collection, and I should like to class them all, and, by the time La Luna comes back, I want to have hundreds and hundreds, and I will take them to ornament my garden, or they will look lovely arranged all round the big hall; or, Mama, dear, we might make a grotto, think how lovely it would be! So let us little girls do nothing but pick up shells. Do, dear Mama, do let us?"

"What a little tongue you have, child. Do you think Zoë and Winny would like to do nothing but pick up shells?"

"I am sure I should not," said Zoë. "I must say I rather think, but I am not quite sure, that I shall not like it all day either," said Winny.

"We'll settle that important question soon, but at present I wish to propound to the company at large whether you think Hargrave and Jenny can wait on us all, without a little help?"

"Oh yes, Ma'am," said the smiling Jenny, "we can do well enough if Master Felix does not wet his feet too often, and the little ladies will do their own hair."

"I shall be happy to assist Jane, Ma'am, in any way I can after I have waited on you," said Hargrave.

"I thank you, Hargrave," said I, "but I must do without the waiting on, we must wait on each other."

"I hope not, Ma'am, I have always endeavoured to give you satisfaction, and should not like seeing any one wait on you but myself."

"Yes, yes, all that I understand, but—"

"I beg your pardon, Ma'am, but I cannot think of stopping with you, Ma'am, if any one else, Ma'am, is to be put above me, or take my place."

Hargrave was proceeding, in increased agitation and heat, when Gatty interrupted the business by repeated peals of laughter.

"Pray, pray, Gertrude, refrain, how very unladylike; you laugh like a great cow-boy," said Madame.

"I like Gatty's laughs, they are so merry," said Oscar, "but what are you laughing at?"

"Why at Hargrave to be sure, giving warning here, on this desert island."

"Who will you go to, Hargrave, if you leave your present mistress? The Duchess of Puddleduck? Lady Ape? or Baroness Shark? Ha! ha! my dear girls, did you ever hear anything so absurd?"

"Indeed, Miss Gertrude, I wonder at your manners to a poor servant like me, but I am not going to be put upon any how."

"And who was going to put upon you, my good woman? I meant nothing but that we must all help each other, and that there was no occasion for you to wait upon me as heretofore, while we are in this island."

Slightly mollified, she grumbled out "That it was certainly no use plaiting one's hair in such a place."

"Now, Schillie, what charge will you take?"

"Take! You mean do as I bid you."

"Then, if that's the case, you shall be caterer."

"No, no, that I protest against. Under no circumstances can I undertake dinner, though I fancy one has no great variety here. I'll look after your pet boys, and see that neither of them drown themselves fishing, and I'll take charge of the guns, powder, and shot, and any little odd things requiring to be done I am ready to be called on to help."

"Very good. And you, Madame?" I gave her a warning glance not to say anything about lessons, so, after a pause, she said, "I will undertake to prepare the table for meals, and collect fruit and flowers, with the help of my three little ones."

"Thank you very much, that will be very kind, and now you elder girls!"

"Oh! we'll do as we are bid, except lessons," said Gatty.

"Then, Gatty and Serena, you must always bring the water from the brook morning and evening, and you, Sybil, must see that the children are tidy and that the things all put away in the tent, and you must, all three, help Jenny to wash up the things, and put them in their places tidy. And now then we will all disperse, until eleven o'clock, when Jenny must give us dinner as usual, and then we will all take siesta, and in the evening we shall be ready for no end of fun and mischief. Our dinner may seem somewhat early, but then we were obliged to be up very early to enjoy the cool part of the day." But I will begin my next chapter with a description of our doings.

CHAPTER XIV.

The first person that awoke in the morning generally rose and opened the tent letting in the fresh sea breeze. This might be between two and three in the morning, and always the most refreshing part of the whole day. The first bathing party then went down to the sea, consisting of Schillie, the three girls, Madame, and myself. Before we were well out of the water, and finishing our toilettes under the tent, the boys used to come rushing down with Jenny in attendance, who was always fearing her heedless Master Felix would get into danger. Finally the three little girls, with both the maids, habited in readiness to dip the unwilling ones, finished the morning ablutions.

Afterwards we all proceeded to the great chestnut tree, where we had prayers, the morning psalms, and lessons, and sung a hymn, which sounded in that lone but lovely spot so soft and beautiful that it used to bring tears to my eyes. So many young voices, gave a peculiar flute-like sound to the music, and as each cadence rose swelling through the branches of the great tree above us, so did the birds rise in clouds above us, returning nearer and nearer, as the soft voices died away, at the end of each verse. And to look at each young face uplifted with fresh sweet feelings of piety and love to me seemed a picture of what we might see hereafter in that other and brighter world, "which eye hath not seen, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive." The fair blooming face of Sybil contrasted well with the brilliant dark eyes and fine countenance of Gertrude, while the slight statue-like form of the graceful Serena, with her small head and beautiful throat bent over her book, completed their picture. And a smaller group stood beside them equally pretty to look at, equally wrapt up in the solemn duty they were performing. The taller Zoë in the middle, her black hair drawn from her fair and lovely profile, one little hand resting, on the pretty sparkling Winifred whose arch look was sobered into childish gravity, a pretty demureness hiding the merry blue eyes, and leaving long curling dark eyelashes to veil her cheeks; while on the other side, hanging or leaning, or both, stood Lilly, her long black curls swept in every direction, and falling in rich masses over all three as the wind listed to blow them, the prettiest face in the world, peeping from between the dishevelled locks, with rosy mouth parted, and violet eyes upraised to heaven, as she sang with bird-like clearness above the rest.

The bright sun, the glowing sky, the brilliant flowers, the rich shade of the dark chestnut tree, all cast their lights and shadows on these two pretty groups as they stood before us, adding beauty to both.

The last verse being sung, all dispersed to their different duties, and the birds were now startled by the bursts of merry laughter that came from each group. Madame, with Sybil and her three little maidens, prepared the breakfast. Gatty and Serena ran for water, the maids put the tents to rights, the boys lighted the fire. Schillie and I sat looking on, acting company. I with admiring eyes, on the lovely scenery and pretty figures, she with inquisitive looks, scanning each unknown plant, moss, bird, or stone, and conjecturing their names and qualities. A little clamouring below, as to who was to blow a great shell that Benjie had taught them how to use, prepared us two idle ones for the summons to breakfast, of which we all partook with great hilarity and content, the grumblings for want of milk, having ceased partly because they were not attended to, and partly because all the grumbling in the world obtained none. After breakfast, I settled with Jenny the difficult question of dinner, which generally consisted of fish, potatoes, and pudding, sometimes a little salt meat, sometimes a little fresh meat, out of the tin cases we had brought. But invariably we had a magnificent dessert, so that the children could eat nothing for thinking of what was coming. That important matter done, I joined the rest. Madame betook herself to her green parasol and terrace, with a dignified but compassionate air, as if the young ones did not know what they were losing, in preferring play to lessons. The three little girls in high delight went to collect that indispensable quantity of shells, that was deemed necessary to ornament all they wished at home. The two good boys prepared with the gravity necessary for so important a business, to fish for our dinner, speculating upon what bait the fish would take that particular morning, and what they would not. To which we listened in solemn propriety, though well aware all the time they jumped at a bit of red worsted, as much as any other thing.

But the three elder ones did not care for picking up shells, and could not abide fishing. It was too hot to work, too sunny to read. They wanted to sit all day long in the pockets of the two Mothers, the elder one telling them stories, and the younger one making quaint remarks thereon, thereby spoiling many a sentimental speech, and upsetting many a romantic idea, but causing plenty of fun and merriment. But that could not last all day. Though we dined at eleven, it still wanted two good hours thereto. The big Mother was tired of telling tales; the little Mother was weary with doing nothing. All this time the green parasol meandered up and down, now and then sitting down to rest, and bending towards the girls with an unmistakeable look, that seemed to say, "come to your lessons, pray come to your lessons." But, the green parasol nodded in vain. At last after a fit of yawning, we all went botanizing, but that was very provoking work, for we could not tell the names of the lovely flowers and trees we found. Sybil suggested giving them our own names. Serena nearly broke her neck, climbing an almost inaccessible crag, and Gatty tore her frock every five minutes.

By this time the conch-shell sounded for dinner, in doing which Jenny blew her cheeks into the colour of a peony, we were all hot and tired and not in a very good humour.

The more we shewed this, the more gracious and cheerful Madame became, the little girls had been quite happy, the boys had wonders to relate as to the strange creatures that came peeping up at them from the deep as they were fishing. Lilly hopes they were not mermaids, for she had heard they were very cruel, and enticed men down into the dark sea weed caverns, from whence they never more appeared.

Felix.—"They will never catch me doing anything so silly. I like Mama better than twenty thousand mermaids, and so I won't be ticed, Lilly."

Lilly.—"Enticed, my dear boy, you mean, and that signifies that you cannot help yourself. They will carry you down into the sea, full of great polypuses, with a hundred blood red arms."

Oscar.—"Lilly, you are talking great stuff, no mermaids shall ever catch Felix or me, I shall shoot them first. And besides I won't believe there are any mermaids."

Gatty.—"And also besides, if they did come up from the sea, and look at Otty and Felix, I don't think they would steal them away from us, without a great battle on our parts."

"But," said Lilly, who always stuck pertinaciously to her text, "I have read it in a book, that they comb their long, sea-green hair, and sing all the time so beautifully, that men jump into the sea after them."

Felix.—"Well! I shall not do that, for green hair must be very ugly."

Oscar.—"And you need not bother about it any more, Lilly, for I hate singing."

Felix.—"And we must take care of ourselves, because we are the only two men you have got to take care of you all."

Sybil.—"Ah! indeed that is very true, you must be very careful, because what should we do without our protectors."

Felix.—"Yes, but, Aunt Sib, don't you think it is very wrong of Lilly to frighten us. Pray tell us, do mermaids really steal men away?"

Schillie.—"What is all this nonsense about mermaids, eh? Felix." She was told; then added, "Don't alarm yourselves, if an army of mermaids were to come, they would not take either of you for men; so comfort yourself, my boys, with that notion."

As most of the party agreed with her the subject dropped. After dinner we all took a siesta for two or three hours, a necessary rest during the heat of the day. Afterwards the same scene occurred as before dinner the "green parasol" meandered up and down, the little ones ran about, being now assisted by the boys, the elder ones hung about us two until tea-time, when all had some employment again. Afterwards we chatted and worked until the sun went down. This sometimes occurred so suddenly that we had to run like lapwings, from the great chestnut down to the tents, in order to scramble into bed before it was quite dark. So passed the first few days, I purposely proposing neither work nor any employment that the girls might be thoroughly sickened of idleness. Each day, however, the "green parasol" became more elevated, the measured tread more majestic. Madame was getting seriously angry, having no idea that their love of idleness would last so long. Even to me monosyllables only were vouchsafed, and matters assumed a lowering aspect. Schillie's temper had been gone two days, and she was at open war with the three girls, extremely cross with me that I did not order them away, though too proud to acknowledge it. Sybil had taken refuge in books, and was always so deeply immersed in her stories and novels, that she could think of nothing else. Her wits were anywhere but where they ought to have been, and she was of no use to any one. Serena was making a child of herself, with the little ones, which pleased them very much, and gave her some employment for her useless activity. As for Gatty, having nothing else to do, she was in every boy's way. When every handkerchief she had was full of holes, she proceeded to destroy other people's private property. The "green parasol" having been inadvertently left alone for a short time, was used as a mark to throw stones at, and, ere its owner appeared to rescue it, had several great holes in it. An offer to assist the boys in their fishing tackle caused inextricable confusion amongst their work. The necessity of making some use of such restless activity occasioned Jenny to be gratuitously assisted in cooking the dinner, which ended in there being nothing eatable that day. Cross with Serena because she would make a baby of herself with the little ones, angry with Sybil because she was buried in silly stories, irate with the little Mother because she had called her a great plague, afraid of the big Mother because she looked so gravely at her, not on speaking terms with any of the little ones for various misdemeanours, the poor Gatty wandered up and down on a particular evening (the fourth day) like a perturbed young elephant shut up in a cage. She wanted something to do, and she glanced around each party to see which she might venture to join. The "green parasol" was to be avoided at all rates, the two Mothers had forbidden her approach for an hour. Jenny had declined a kitchen maid's help with a stammering apology that clearly told why. She was too proud to join those who had called her cross. Sybil sat alone; her feet almost in the stream, her head buried in her book, so absorbed that she saw and heard nothing. Gatty approached her from above, and, being obliged to do something, saw at one glance a most beautiful opportunity of startling Sybil out of her studies, and became quite exhilarated with the work. With a little trouble she moved some stones, made a channel in the sand, and in a few minutes a rippling stream ran down it, gathering force as it went, and, stopping for neither stick nor stone, dashed upon Sybil, as if animated with Gatty's own spirit of mischief. Up she jumped, her cry of surprise being in chorus with Gatty's shriek of delight. Thoroughly roused, her usual meek spirit gave way, she threw down her book, sprang towards the aggressor, her fair face blushed with anger, her dark eyes flashing indignantly. So nimble was she, that she was almost upon the delighted culprit ere she restrained her laughter. In endeavouring to avoid the injured one her foot slipped, over she rolled just as Sybil reached her, and down they both went into the brook, rolling over and over several times.

Having watched the whole business from our resting place, we were down at the spot, ere they had recovered themselves, and risen from the water.

The conch-shell sounded for tea, at the same moment, and in a high state of excitement, every body talking their loudest we all adjourned. Then every body opened their hearts. I confessed I had let them be so idle, in order to make them resume their lessons with pleasure and zest. Schillie allowed she was very wrong to take them from their books, which were much better for them than idling about and bothering her. Madame had wondered at my permitting such disorderly doings, as had been going on from day to day, but would excuse it as I seemed to have a motive, and the young ladies were penitent. Sybil confessed she was tired of reading so much, and would much prefer doing something rational. Serena said she and the little ones had been privately learning something, just to employ themselves. Gatty alone still declared it was a great shame to do lessons in this hot climate, but she would not mind music and summing. Zoë and Winny joyfully agreed to learn anything, so that they might have something to do. Lilly made a stipulation about having time to pick up shells, before she finally capitulated; and the boys having been very good up to this minute, neither troublesome or quarrelsome, but on the contrary very useful, turned round completely, became naughty and rude, declaring that lessons were humbug, French a bore, German a nuisance, and almost openly declaring a complete rebellion.

This mutiny of course was quelled, we retired to bed in harmony and good humour, and rose the next morning determined to do our best, to be industrious and useful. Madame was in high spirits. Schillie most benign. The boys happy in the privilege of not having to go to their studies until an hour after the girls, and to do part of them with the Mothers. The girls all in high spirits, so that when the conch-shell sounded twice as indicative that school time had commenced, great alacrity was shown on all sides, and good humour reigned supreme.

CHAPTER XV.

"Now then," said I to the little Mother, "what are you and I to do with ourselves."

Schillie.—"Oh, I am perfectly comfortable, now that we are not to be plagued with those girls. Let us sit down here, and now you shall talk to me."

Mother.—"I don't intend to do anything of the sort; I said, 'What shall we do?' merely to know if you had any private business on hand. Because if you have not, I have."

Schillie.—"I have nothing in the world to do, and I have not the least inclination to exert myself, and I won't allow you to do anything either, in spite of your private business."

Mother.—"Nevertheless, whether you help me or not, I am going to build a little hut."

Schillie.—"Good lack! if you are not mad to think of such a thing! I am gasping with heat, and really melt away so fast, on the slightest exertion, and have such indifferent dinners to make amends, that if the captain does not arrive precisely to his date, my skin will be a bag containing nothing but rattling bones."

Mother.—"Don't distress yourself, you look very jolly yet, and if those cannibals come, of whom Madame is so afraid, you will be the first delicate morsel chosen, I am certain. But about this hut."

Schillie.—"Don't, June, you will kill me outright if you mention such hard work again. Let us go and botanize a bit. Did you ever see such a fellow as this! He must be a plantain I think."

Mother.—"Yes! these are the broad leaves that will roof our hut!"

Schillie.—"You will drive me mad with your hut, who wants a hut? and what is the good of putting ourselves into a fever, spoiling our hands, and such like, merely for your whims. Let us go round that point, and see if any turtle land on this island. I am sure it will be a blessing to have something decent to eat."

Mother.—"I shall be delighted to go, but I think we shall dirty our hands much more slaughtering a great turtle than building a nice little hut."

Schillie.—"Now, Mrs. June, if you bother me any more about that hut, I won't stir one finger to help you."

Mother.—"Oh, so you will help me, well! that's all I want, so sit down here while I tell you all about my hut."

She made some ineffectual efforts to escape, was very indignant, stormed, and spluttered, and wound up by saying, "Well! now, my Mistress, what do you wish me to do?" which was exactly the state into which I had intended to bully her. "You know how hot we are in the tent every night," said I. "Good me! and those horrid girls snoring and talking, one worse than another, to say nothing of someone who shall be nameless snoring like ten pigs." "That snorer is not me, I flatter myself, so make no more remarks, but listen, you see I have brought you to a very pretty little spot on the cliffs, and here are six or seven nice little trees, that look so pliant and slender we can bend them into any shape, but you are not listening."

Schillie.—"I wonder what trees these are. They all seem to proceed from the same mass of roots, and yet they are nearly in the form of a square; leaves, shiny, dark, green, pinnated, I cannot make them out."

Mother.—"What does it matter to us about their names and property, if they will do for us to make our hut."

Schillie.—"And how can you imagine that I can make a hut or live in it, until I have found out the name of these trees."

So we were nearly coming to a rupture again, but waiting patiently until she had exhausted every idea on the subject we set to work once more. "You see these trees are in the form of a square already, and will just mark out the size of our hut."

"Yes very well for me, but if our hut has a window you will have to lay with your head out of it, or if a door with your feet ditto."

Mother.—"Come don't be rude about my length of limb. The square is quite seven feet this way, and we may make it double that the other way by cutting down this one tree."

Schillie.—"I wish I knew what those two trees are."

Mother.—"Then we can twist these pliant sort of reeds in and out."

Schillie.—"Reeds, June! those are not reeds, I wonder what these are? They must be all of the same family, only these are young ones. Something of the willow sort, I imagine."

Mother.—"Well! we can twist them in and out between the stems."

Schillie.—"Or perhaps they are a species of gigantic rush, but that we shall know by the flower."

Mother.—"Twist them in and out like basket work."

Schillie.—"I wish you would cease with your twistings in and out, and help me to guess what these things are."

Mother.—"My dear, I have guessed long ago, and think I am quite right too in my guess."

Schillie.—"And why are you so unkind as not to tell me? you know how anxious I am."

Mother.—"I am quite surprised that you did not see at once, they are only gigantic 'fighting cocks,' as we used to call plantain in our youth."

Schillie.—"You are the greatest——, well! I won't say what with your fighting cocks. Come, go on about your blessed old hut."

Mother.—"But it is not an old hut, inasmuch as it is not built yet, or even begun, nor does it seem likely to be begun, as we have quarrelled three times over merely of what it is to be made."

Schillie.—"Then now I won't trouble you any more, I will think of nothing but this hut, and will do whatever you bid me. But you must promise me, that if I help you, that no one else is to share it with us. I won't have any fidgety girls, or sick boys to come and wear one to death with their nonsense."

Mother.—"Pooh, pooh, you know who will be the first to invite them in, however, I only mean it for us two."

So to work we set, and in a short time had so changed our relative positions, that I was scolded for not working hard enough, and having entered thoroughly into the business, she took the command, and I willingly obeyed her sage orders. She had a capital head for contrivance, and consequently treated some of my suggestions with scorn and indifference. In fact, my notion of "twisting in and out" so often mentioned, was immediately pronounced as a trap for musquitos, scorpions, and such like. We were to have our hut made partly of boughs, partly of sods, partly of mud. This was to keep it cool. Over all we placed the large smooth plantain leaves and it really did not look amiss, but something like the little round mushroom huts of the charcoal burners. It took us four days to complete it. We told nobody until it was finished; then, of course everybody wanted to sleep in it. The size of the hut spoke the best answer. At each end we had nailed a strip of sail-cloth, which served for the bed on which to lie, and, wrapped up in a sheet, it was very cool and comfortable. Though Schillie was very uneasy for the first hour, and, upon my remonstrating, muttered, half asleep, "I wish I knew what these trees were."

We satisfied the eager wishers, by promising to help to make huts for all who liked it, and, for the next week, as soon as school hours were over, every minute was employed in this new business. Madame alone preferred the tent, and soon had it to herself. From the sand the little colony of huts looked quite picturesque, perched upon little green knolls or terraces, and great improvements were made, so that ours looked quite a little vulgar affair in comparison to the ornamented mansions which soon appeared. The little ones had now good use for their shells, and the tasteful Sybil and Serena ornamented theirs with fresh flowers every day, and transplanted creepers and other things to train all over their abode.

We found amongst our stores a packet of garden seeds, I having desired the gardener before we left home to put some up, for I had heard that we could grow mustard and cress, endive and parsley, and even lettuces on board, and that it would be a very good thing for the children. Not having specified what I really wanted, on opening the packet we found every species of seed that a kitchen garden would require, and though we laughed at the parcels of beans and peas, and other things impossible to be grown on board, also carrots and turnips, yet they were most opportune in amusing the young ones, for every one must have a garden round their abode, and it was quite surprising to see how quickly the seeds sprang up. In fact, we had so much to amuse us, that a month passed ere we thought one week had gone, and the life we were leading seemed to agree with us all, especially the children. Oscar's fine open countenance bloomed with health, and he grew so manly and tall that we treated him with great respect as the King of the Island, while the small little delicate features of Felix were getting embrowned, fast losing their delicacy; his beautiful starlike eyes were radiant with health, and through the long dark eyelashes, so peculiar to that species of deep grey eye, the pretty pink colour seemed to be fixing its residence there at last.

CHAPTER XVI.

The girls being very much absorbed in their gardens, Schillie and I took a scramble one day round the point she had wished to go when we commenced building our hut. We privately told the servants if we were not at home to dinner, to explain the cause, and not to expect us until tea-time.

It was very hard work, but when we had accomplished it, we came to another bay, not so pretty as ours, but much more extensive. There were scarcely any cliffs, but the great trees came bending down to the water's edge in many places. Here Schillie gave full scope to her enquiring mind, and we progressed at the rate of twenty yards every half hour, while she exhausted herself in vain conjectures without end. Going over the rocks, among the caverns and crevices we found a curious creeping plant, the stems trailing two or three feet long, the leaves were rather oval, of a bright green, and the flowers large beautiful white ones, each composed of four petals tinged with red. At last from the unopened buds being so like capers, we tasted them, and they were so sharp and as acid as we could wish. So we decided they were, or rather it was the caper plant, and while Schillie felicitated herself upon having settled that matter satisfactorily, she groaned over the notion of our having no boiled mutton.

The next thing we discovered was a bright green shrub, apparently an evergreen, with bunches of white flowers, which were sweet scented. There being no seeds formed, we were sometime in making it out to be the coffee tree, but Schillie remembered once seeing a coffee plant at Chatsworth. So she was in high spirits until we came to another shrub with purple and white flowers. Some of the green leaves were exceedingly light, and some nearly black, and they almost seemed to be turning colour, as we looked at them.

We wasted a whole hour over this shrub and a tree close by rather small with foliage like a birch. It had fruit somewhat like a hop, only very much larger.

We now came to an immense Banana tree, out of which flew a cloud of blueish pigeons. The leaves of this Banana looked six or seven feet long and about one wide; the fruit was hanging in every direction, looking like large misshapen cucumbers. Benjie had taught us not to cut it crossways, but from end to end, as it tasted better when cut wrong. But it was curious when cut wrong what an exact cross was pictured in the middle. Twined in the Banana tree was an immense gourd plant. At this minute I shuddered with horror. We had been so secure, so careless, so utterly unmindful of any danger that I was quite unnerved at seeing a huge thing three or four feet long drop from the Banana, close between us. "Keep back, keep back," said Schillie, "I have got my hatchet." But she never could bear to kill anything, so we looked on the creature, and it on us. It was very ugly and formidable to look at, but it had a quiet eye, and after a little while it crawled gently away, and commenced trying to get up the tree again. "I think it must be an iguana," said I at last.

"Whatever it is I admire its civility," said Schillie.

"If it is they are quite harmless, though he looks very horrible," said I.

"He does not intend to harm us, it appears, so we will go on," said Schillie, "because I begin to feel very hungry, and we had better look out for a comfortable spot on which to dine."

"I have been hungry more than an hour, but you were so absorbed in your discoveries you would not listen to my hints. I should like to go to that little knoll, in which those four cocoa-nut trees stand, we shall have a little air then, and can see any danger all round, and, perchance find a cocoa-nut."

"Which you may have all to yourself, June, for I think them unwholesome things."

After a dinner and a successful nutting, I proposed a siesta, as it was impossible to move during the sultry noon, which Schillie agreed to provided I went to sleep first, whilst she watched for an hour, then she was to waken me, and I was to watch in my turn.

After a profound sleep of some duration I awoke, and found my guard in a helpless state of somnambulism, which was so very deep I did not like to disturb her; neither could I move, as the better to guard me she was lying half over me, I, therefore, though anxious about the time we had been sleeping, decided to sit still and wait until she showed some signs of waking. She had the watch round her neck, and I could not look at it without disturbing her, so I amused myself with watching the curious and strange things around me. I noticed some black things in the water, which came nearer and nearer, and I gave a start of pleasure when I perceived that they must be turtle; at last one landed and crawled in the most extraordinary manner some way up the sands. After spending what I thought was half an hour in the oddest movements and vagaries for such an unwieldy thing as a turtle to indulge in, it returned to the sea, and was the only one that landed. The sleeper at last moved, and I roused her up. At first she declared she had not been asleep at all, but when time and circumstances made that assertion untenable, she fell back upon the excuse that it was so dull sitting there with no one to talk to, and nothing to do, and, besides, her thoughts were very melancholy.

June.—"Your thoughts melancholy! That's the first time, then, since I have known you."

Schillie.—"I was thinking of my poor little children, and how wrong I was to go and leave them all."

June.—"But you have not yet been away from them half the time, or, indeed, one-third of what was originally intended, when we left England."

Schillie.—"I know that quite well, but, if you will go to sleep, and leave me to my own dull thoughts, how can I help thinking of my being so ill-behaved as to leave them for such a period."

June.—"It was you that made me go to sleep first. But, however, I must comfort you, and remind you how kind your father is to them, and how your mother's sole business in life is to see that they have double as much as they ought to have. And how your sister, that best of Kittie's, is more than a mother to them; indeed most strangers take her for their mother, and you for an unnatural sort of aunt."

Schillie.—"Well, that may be true, June, but you should not upbraid me with it now I am so sad; I don't pretend to be a fond mother, but I hope I am a good one."

June.—"Come! don't be so horribly pathetic; it does not suit you at all, but, if you are really very unhappy, the captain will be here in ten days or so, and then we will all go home."

Schillie.—"But, how do I know if we may not all be drowned in going home, or have a fire at sea, or something should occur which will prevent me ever seeing my little chicks again," and the great tears rolled one by one down her round blooming cheeks.

This was getting a most serious business, so I said in an angry manner as it were, "You are too absurd! just as if every day when at home you don't put your life into imminent danger, riding that frangy beast, who every ten yards has either his heels or his toes in the air."

Schillie.—"Heels and toes! Whoever heard a horse spoken of in such terms? And after all the pains I have taken with your equine education, to talk in such terms of a little playfulness! I would not give two-pence to ride a horse that goes straight along."

June.—"I should not call that playful riding to come home with one's hands all blistered from holding the animal in. For my part, I never saw you go down the carriage road, on that beast Staunton, with his tail flying and his legs anywhere but on the road, without preparing my nerves for seeing your mangled remains brought home on a shutter."

Schillie.—"Mangled fiddlesticks! Did you ever see such a butterfly? Don't catch it; you'll hurt it. There, it is settled now. I wonder what his name is?"

So her thoughts being diverted we wandered on, the heat dried the big tears, and we made many grand discoveries; amongst others, that the rocks were wholly composed of coral.

But, before we left the spot, without telling her that I had seen the turtle, we went to the place I had seen it throwing up the sand, and, upon examination, found a great quantity of eggs. For some time Schillie would not believe that I had seen a turtle, or that these were turtle's eggs. However we kept our eyes on the black specks on the water, and, turning a corner of the bay, we came upon a whole colony of turtles, all on shore. I was afraid at first to run after them and turn them, and Schillie could not manage it by herself, so that ere I had conquered my reluctance they all got away from her but one, which we turned over all right, and nothing was more ridiculous than to see the poor hideous creature sprawling and straggling with ineffectual efforts. But we could not lift it by any means, and Schillie felt half inclined to let it go again, as it would be exposed so many hours to the broiling sun, ere we could come back with the others to despatch it. So we covered it over with Banana leaves, fastening them safe over the poor beast with bits of wood stuck through the leaves into the sand; and there we left it, making our way homewards over the rocks. The moment we appeared on the top seemed the signal for a general commotion amongst our people, and they all came running round the bay to meet us; Gatty reached us first, followed closely by Serena. They could not speak, they were so completely out of breath; but the first thing Gatty could say was a vehement reproach for leaving them all day. They had been so dull, and, coming out of school they had rushed immediately to join the two Mothers, and had found none; and the dinner was so stupid, and the lessons had been so tiresome, and Madame had been so particular, and it had been so hot; in fact, all had gone wrong.

But we were soon very merry at tea, all except Madame, who looked a little stately; and, after tea, she said she had a complaint to make against a certain person, for misconduct during my absence.

She was interrupted by Gatty's jumping up, and saying. "Oh yes! yes! such a glorious thing happened, it was so killing!—"

"Gertrude, you shock me," said Madame, "to talk of so grave a misdemeanour, in such terms."

"Indeed! Madame, I cannot help it. I never laughed so much in my life. Did you, Sib? Did you, Serena?"

Whereupon all the girls, big and little, tittered and laughed according to their different natures, and I felt relieved. But I was convinced that Felix was the culprit he was so red, and, while his brother rolled on the sand with merriment, he said nothing.

But Madame was so very grave, and seemed really so annoyed, that the laughing ceased, except when Gatty burst into a fresh fit, though she was cramming her handkerchief into her mouth, and that set Oscar off too.

"The young gentlemen came to their lessons in very good time," proceeded Madame, "and Master Oscar immediately proceeded to learn his Latin declensions and to little Felix I gave a short lesson in French, out of that small book which, as you know, Madam, contained a page or two of first French lessons for young beginners." I nodded as much as to say I knew the book. "And then, Madam, as he was so giddy and volatile, I put him under the table to learn it, with the cloth all round him, that his attention might be distracted by nothing that he saw."

Here the tittering was vehement. "He was I must acknowledge, very quiet and good, so much so, that perhaps it was half an hour ere I called him to say it." Here Gatty became convulsed. Oscar in a similar state, and not all Madame's gravity could restrain the others.

"You may imagine my surprise, Madam, when I found the book gone, he had it not. In vain I made him look for it, nay, I acknowledge that I went down on my knees under the table to look for it also, thinking he must be telling an untruth, in saying it was not there. I could find it nowhere, neither can I find it now, and though I have made him confess what he did with it, yet, I assure you, Madam, the matter seems so extraordinary to me, I beg you will ask him yourself." In spite of the laughter, I called Felix, and with a half impudent air, emboldened by his companion's merriment, half frightened at what I might say. He said in a low clear voice, "Mama, I ate it!"

Mother.—"Ate it, child!"

Felix.—"Yes, Mama, I ate it every bit."

Madame sat down in triumph; the young ones made the air sound with their laughter; Jenny looked appealingly to me. Schillie said, "What a nasty boy." I exclaimed in horror and wonder, "Good heavens! suppose it disagrees with him." This frightful notion spread; Jenny took to tears—Madame was quite affected—Schillie recommended an emetic—Hargrave rushed to put it in force—and Felix was overwhelmed with questions as to what he felt; had he a pain?—where was his pain?—did he feel odd?—was he sure he felt nothing?—and it was nearly an hour ere he was suffered to go to bed, with no other remedy than a good fright, and the next day he appeared as pert as ever, recommending those that did not like certain lesson books to eat them up, for, after all, he added, "books are not so nasty to eat as to learn."

CHAPTER XVII.

The time passed, to use Gatty's phrase, "fatally fast," in fact, we heard distant murmurs and fears expressed lest our dear old captain should return too soon. There was something so novel and unrestrained in our present life, and we all seemed to feel we never should again have such an opportunity of imitating the gipsies, and we were so happy and merry, that, excepting Madame, we were none of us willing to be restored too soon to civilized life.

Was our future fate a punishment or not, for thus presuming to decide our own destiny? A fortnight passed. On whose heart fell first the dread thought that something was pending over us, too horrible to be put into words? In the dead of night, I whispered low in Schillie's ear, "Do you think anything can have happened to the ship?" "Nonsense, who but you would think anything so ridiculous. Do you know I think I have discovered what these trees are. I am sure they are a species of Banyan." "Yes," said I absently. "Yes," said she, "yes, did you say? Then why did you not tell me before. I have never been able to sleep a wink when I first came to bed for wondering what they could be. Just like you." So she sulkily went off to sleep.

Another fortnight passed. No word yet was spoken, no voice had even uttered where was the Captain, Smart, La Luna? But the Mother's face was pale. She spent her days on the cliffs, looking out until her eyes ached, and bade the little Mother, who sat so silent and quiet beside her, to look for her through the telescope. And the merry voices were hushed, no laughter was heard, the meals passed in silence, the little ones played at a distance speaking in whispers, on every face you could trace a hidden fear, a secret dread, a mysterious foreboding, but not a word was spoken on the thought of each heart. As evening after evening stole by, the Mothers came down from their watch on the cliff, and though every eye asked, "Have you seen nothing?" yet no tongue had courage to say, "Where was the Captain, Smart, La Luna?"

One day, it was hotter than usual, the sun was going down with a red glare, a low moaning wind came every now and then suddenly through the trees. As Schillie and I came down the cliffs, our knees knocked together with heat and lassitude. We had not spoken for several hours until I had said, "Come, let us go." She mutely assented, and, supporting each other, we wearily and slowly clambered down. Suddenly stopping at a a smooth place on the cliff, on which had been spread by Smart the skin of the Anaconda to dry, and which still remained as he had left it, she said to me, "Which fate do you prefer, June, would you rather now be a corpse within that skin, or yet alive with your present feelings and fears." "O, Schillie, Schillie," I exclaimed, "it is not for myself I fear, but think of all these young ones, can it really be possible or true that we are likely to spend our lives in this place."

Schillie.—"At present it seems true enough, not that you will have long to fret about it, for we shall have to bury you soon, grieving in this manner; I shall go as soon as I can after you; Madame is already gasping; and then I should like to know what will become of all the young ones."

Mother.—"I do my best, I try to think about it as little as possible. But what are your thoughts, Schillie? What do you think about them not returning for us? Is it accident, or——"

Schillie.—"Come, say no more at present, here are the girls coming to meet us. To-morrow we must settle something, it is due to them for the patience with which they have acted in the last fortnight, to take them into our councils. Give us all until to-morrow, before we finally doom ourselves to consider this island our living grave."

Mother.—"But have you no hope, Schillie, speak quickly ere they come, have you no hope?"

Schillie.—"Hope! hope for Aladdin's Lamp, Prince Hassan's Carpet, Green's Balloon, a Railway over the Sea. Hope nothing, and you won't be disappointed."

Mother.—"You are cruel, Schillie."

Schillie.—"Face the worst at once, it will save you much sorrow hereafter. Now say no more, but scrape up a smile for those poor girls if you can."

Even this uncomfortable conversation proved of so much relief to us two that we were more cheerful that evening at tea, and consequently the poor children took courage to be also a little more lively. But we were hurried to our different shelters by a clap of thunder and flash of lightning, unlike anything we had ever seen before, and the rain fell in large splashing drops. In the middle of the night, we were awakened by repeated peals of thunder crashing over our heads, while the lightning played incessantly, beautiful but most awful to behold. The rain at first came in gusts, but after a while, such a deluge poured down upon us, that in half an hour our little frail huts were beaten down over our heads. One minute's exposure to the sheets of water that were descending drenched us through. With difficulty we crawled to a little cavern, which just held us, and also permitted the servants to change the children's dripping clothes, and thus passed the whole night; but the sun arose as bright as ever, rendering the scene more brilliant and lovely, from the innumerable rain-drops bespangling everything. Not all the cold, misery, and discomfort we had undergone, besides losing our rest, prevented us exclaiming at the fresh beauty of the verdure and trees, and the sweet smell of the thirsty earth as we emerged from our cavern.

We had first to light a great fire, and then to spread all the bedding on the rocks to dry in the sun. We soon warmed some water, and drank hot tea and coffee; but Madame showed symptoms of a violent cold, and little Felix and Winny shivered and shook as if in an ague fit. The poor little huts were entirely ruined, and what was worse still, all our stores and the different things belonging to La Luna, though carefully covered with sail cloth and other things, were yet evidently much damaged by the wet; in fact, it was not this day only that we had to deplore the effect of the night storms catching us so unprepared. We suffered for it, as will be seen hereafter, the whole time we were on the island. However, we could now only think of making ourselves comfortable again. Of course the tents had been beaten down even before the huts; we could not shelter under the great chestnut tree, as the stream had swollen so as to surround it on all sides, washing away all our seats, a great many dinner things, books, and various other matters which we had left there, and which of course had been carried down into the sea, so that we never recovered them again. Fresh disasters were being discovered every minute, and so much were we taken up by them, that it was not until late in the evening, when tired and exhausted we sat down to tea, that the much greater weight and dread on our minds returned in full force.

After a silence, Schillie looked at me and nodded. I tried to speak, but the words would not come, they died away in whispers. All waited in anxious expectation, not knowing what was coming; at last, Sybil and Serena both rose, and coming to me, clasped their arms round me, and said, "Dear Sister, if the ship does not come back for us, we do not care so long as you are well and happy. Do not grieve on our account, everything will end well, you will see. Do you not always bid us trust in God. Let us pray then for his help, but do not grieve, do not weep thus."

But their sweet voices, and comforting words were lost amidst the wailing and weeping that arose on all sides, now that we had given voice to our sad fears. Words fail me when I think of describing this mournful and affecting scene, for one and all seemed equally certain that hope was gone, we had now been three months here, and the captain told us all, not once, but many times, that in six weeks for certain he should return. Something therefore must have happened. Either the vessel must have foundered, or they had failed in getting another vessel for us, or they had met with some accident, or worse than all from the instruments being destroyed on deck during the storm Captain MacNab had not been able to take any observations so as to settle whereabouts this island was, and he was perhaps now sailing about unable to find us. For it was a most singular thing which we had several times noticed, that during the whole time we had been there we had never seen a vessel on the horizon. That was a mournful evening, so sad and painful that I am sure none of those who participated in it could forget it as long as life lasted. And in the midst of the fears that assailed us regarding our future lot, many were the sorrowful thoughts we had as to what could have become of the kind good Captain, the faithful and attached Smart, and all those worthy companions, so lately forming a part of ourselves. Darkness had long wrapped the little island in her dull mantle, but sobs were heard in different parts of the little cavern in which we had all been obliged to congregate for the night, and gentle whispers of prayer to the giver of all good rose now and then in the stillness of the night, shewing that some hearts felt too deeply to sleep; the overwrought minds sought comfort from the bountiful fountain of love and compassion, that increaseth as it is poured forth. And full well can we say, our trust hath not been in vain, deeply as we suffered then and since. But on looking back to that time, and all the subsequent trials that have befallen us, I think this period was the most painful we ever endured. Not only were we in miserable uncertainty about ourselves, but we lost and bewildered ourselves in painful conjectures as as to what could have become of our companions.

To have been told that they were really destroyed, that we should never see them more, that we must depend upon ourselves for every thing, and upon chance that we might be taken from the island, would I think have been less painful to bear than the state in which we found ourselves. At any rate then we should have known what to do, and would in all probability have exerted ourselves to better our condition as best we could.

But at present we were like people suddenly left in the dark, with the additional feeling of not knowing when it would be light again, or what we could do to free ourselves. Say that we were to sit still, and wait with patience, hoping the best, believing it impossible that we could be alone and deserted, this could not last, we could not sit still for ever. Say that we immediately made up our minds to the worst; that we were alone, and to be so for an indefinite, perhaps final period; that we must shift for ourselves; that our welfare, peace, comfort, food, clothing, solely depended on our own exertions; then, perhaps, after making these exertions, after using every effort, and they would be no slight ones, but must commence immediately with great toil, and anxious thought, they would arrive, we should be saved, and thus have undergone unnecessary labour and fatigue for nothing.

Yet we were at present fitted for neither of these fates. The life of ease and enjoyment without care or thought, that we had indulged in for two months; the indolent habits we had contracted from the, to us, unusual hot climate; the strangeness and suddenness of our fate, all combined to unnerve us, and for the present overwhelm the energy and strength of character necessary for such emergency.

That was a memorable night, calm and serene, as it was after the great storm of the preceding one. Troubled and tempest-tost was each heart as it awakened scared by its own dreams, through which ran wild visions of the beloved faces, perhaps never more to be seen. Yearnings after the homes we had so thoughtlessly left, the scenes we might never more behold, the voices perchance we should never hear again. Every thing we loved and valued and had left! seemed on this memorable night to come vividly before us. Was it therefore to be wondered that with subdued and chastened feelings we all met the next day, the elder ones steeling their hearts, and recovering their minds to enter into a regular discussion and investigation of the fate destined for them; the younger ones meek and sorrowful but most loving and engaging in their simple reliance on our words, and their quiet, but watchful anticipations of our looks and wishes, and this day happened to be a Sunday.

We generally performed the church service on an elevated, but small platform above the dining place, looking down upon the great chestnut tree, and indeed upon all our possessions. Thus endeavouring to realize the scenes so often seen in England, where the pretty simple church, with its graceful spire, is seen on an elevated place, while the humble cottages, and rose-covered houses clustered round its base.

To make the resemblance more perfect, one single large cocoa-nut tree, with its tall stem and fan-like head, was the only tree growing near the spot, and the children were wont to call this tree when its solitary condition caught their eye, the church spire.

The cliff shelved over some feet, making a natural shade and cover, and here we placed the proper seats, two only being at the foot of the tree whose occupants read and responded to the church service.

Sometimes a sermon was read after the prayers, but more often it was my habit to give each of the young ones a text from the Holy Bible, and from that they made small sermons, or rather remarks of their own which were meant only for the Mother's eye, and sacredly respected by her in that particular.

On this Sunday, the prayers being over, the psalm sung, they waited a short space for me to give them their texts as usual, but seeing how sorrowful and weak I was, and so slow in finding them out, they asked to choose their own texts for this time, which I willingly granted.

They separated to perform their own tasks until dinner time, after which Schillie and I intended between us to enter into a full discussion of our present state, and future lot, assisted by Madame, before them all. "In the multitude of councillors there is knowledge," and tho' many of our party were so young, yet I have often noticed happy thoughts, and very sage ideas rise in little heads, and amongst so many might not some brilliant conception arise, some fresh thought be promulgated which had escaped the harassed minds, and jaded spirits of the older heads. My readers shall judge of this in the next chapter.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The meal was finished, everything was cleared away, the two maids were bid come and form part of the conclave, we were all equal now, and every one was to have a voice in this council.

Madame began by saying that she thought I was unnaturally hasty in concluding that we were really left on this island for life. "So many things, dear Madam, may have occurred to prevent their coming, of which we know nothing. Besides, Captain MacNab knew that we had provisions for six months, and he might not like to trust the vessel to the hurricanes that often precede the rainy season."

Mother.—"That is very true, Madame, but I don't think the Captain would willingly put us to such anxiety; besides, he knows that we have no shelter to screen us from the violent effects of the rain."

Madame.—"But I think, Madam, we should not so immediately conclude that he is not coming at all, and that we are inevitably left alone here."

Mother.—"I do not conclude so inevitably, but it is better to come to some decision than to spend our time as we have done the last six weeks. Had we not spent our days in hoping instead of doing we should not be in such an uncomfortable situation as we are now. Two children have certainly got symptoms of ague, and you have a wretched cold and cough, half our worldly possessions are more or less damaged by the rain, and should it return, where are we to look for shelter, what can we do to preserve the goods left us?"

Madame.—"I have no doubt that the storm of the other night was only the precursor of the rainy season, which lasts from fifteen to twenty-five days in the climate to which I have been accustomed."

Mother.—"Then there is the more necessity for our exerting ourselves. Tell me, Schillie, what do you think?"

Schillie.—"I think nothing. If we are to be drowned, it's the same to me whether it is by rain or sea."

Mother.—"Nay, you are unkind. It is at moments like these when clear heads and quick wits are most invaluable. You surely don't intend to burden me with the sole arrangement of this painful and arduous undertaking."

Schillie.—"I don't see what you have got to bother yourself about. You would build a hut spite of all I could say, and the first shower drove it down on your ears."

Several voices exclaimed, "Oh, cousin Schillie, a shower! did you call that dreadful storm a shower!" while Madame lifted up her hands and eyes, and said, "it was a fearful deluge."

Schillie.—"Yes, yes, I dare say it was rather heavy; but it is nothing to what we shall have."

"Heaven forbid," again exclaimed Madame, while the little ones seemed equally aghast at the idea.

Mother.—"I grant that building more huts is out of the question, and, besides, we have not time, I suppose, but we must do something to save what we have left of our property. Come, girls, what can you suggest?"

Sybil.—"I can only think of covering everything with those great big plantain leaves."

Serena.—"And we can put stones on them to keep them down; and by putting a great many layers, I don't think it is possible the rain can get through."

Mother.—"And you, Gatty."

"Oh," said Gatty, getting very red, and twisting her pocket handkerchief into a series of knots, "I don't know much about such things, but," seeing she must speak out, "perhaps stowing them away under a big tree would do."

Zoë.—"I think the same as Gatty, Mother, for it must be impossible for the heaviest rain to get through some of the thick trees out there."

Winny.—"I am not certain which plan I think best; but I will wait and hear what Mother thinks before I quite decide."

Lilly.—"I think digging a deep hole, and burying them in the sand would be the best."

Oscar.—"Just as if the rain would not go through the sand. You always think of such out-of-the-way things, Lilly."

Mother.—"But I do not think hers's such a bad idea, I think it a very good one for such a little girl; but what do you think best yourself?"

Oscar.—"I think we had much better put them all safe in the cavern in which we sleep, especially the powder and shot, because if that gets wet it is done for, and we can dry ourselves by a fire, and yet not be hurt."

Madame.—"Oh, my dear boy, you do not know how dangerous it is to get wet in this climate, and as for sleeping out all night, you would not be alive for one week."

Oscar.—"But it is of very great consequence, Madame, that we should preserve the guns, and powder, and shot. Supposing your friends, the savages, should come, how are we to kill them if I have no powder and shot, I should like to know."

Felix warmly supported Oscar, merely saying, "If Mama's plan is a better one, I will choose that, but I suppose you won't mind, Oscar!" Oscar set him at rest on this subject.

Hargrave vehemently protested against the powder and shot being placed any where near, what she considered her property, namely all our clothes, trinkets, bonnets, and caps, and bitterly bewailed the mischief the storm had done amongst various silk dresses, and pretty smart caps. Nearly all the young ladies' bonnets were more or less hurt, and not finding her wits capable of discussing any other subject, we released her from the obligation placed on every one else, namely to give their opinion on what we should do.

Jenny sided with her dear Miss Lilly, partly because she had been snubbed by Oscar, and partly because she had a great opinion of her sense and quickness.

Having gone the round of the family, nothing remained but to sum up the whole, and make the most of it. That most was so little, we were soon all in high discussion again. Madame and Oscar being the principal talkers, and carrying on their dispute to some length, she declaring the cavern must not be given up, he vociferating that the powder and shot must be saved. They at length arrived at a pitch, so as to extract an observation from Schillie, which was one reason why I had allowed the boy to argue so much.

Schillie.—"Madame, it is too hot to get into such a stew. Do you imagine there is only one cavern in the island?"

Oscar.—"And so I wanted to tell Madame, but she would not hear me out. I did not want your old cavern, Madame, I only wanted to put all the things safe in some cavern."

Schillie.—"I think, instead of making all this noise, we had better go and search for some more caverns."

Madame.—"But it is Sunday."

Schillie.—"Necessity has no law, Madame, besides the heavens are at work, see!"

As she spoke, the lightning played before us, and the heavy thunder broke over our heads. We crouched beneath the rock, but the cloud passed away, the sun came out again, brilliantly lighting up the rain-drops which fell sharply and heavily for ten minutes.

"Now then," said Schillie, "we will all go and search for caverns. You had better lie down, as you look done up. We will be absent an hour, or you may sound the conch-shell to bring us home in time for evening church. And, Hargrave, have something ready to drink when we return. I shall be dying of thirst, I know."

Every one followed her, Madame and Hargrave only making short searchings near at hand. In the meantime, I lay down and looked at all the texts the young ones had brought to me, as was their custom before the Sunday dinner, and which on this day they had chosen for themselves. How profoundly was I affected at the selection they had made, and the simple trustful observations accompanying each, while the wish to comfort pervaded them all, mixed with hopeful anticipations that all would end well, and earnest protestations that they would be very good, and I had only to speak to be obeyed. But I think their own papers will better show the comfort and consolation they gave me than all I can say on the subject, and I will therefore give them verbatim:—