"Dear William:—Your letter arrived safe, and we are glad you are well.
Write every day, and God bless you; it was very clever of you and
Remus. Your affectionate mother, SELINA SEAGRAVE."
"Well, it is clever," said Ready; "I'm sure I had no idea he had gone; and his coming back again, too, when he was ordered."
"Dear Remus, good dog," said William, caressing it: "now I'll give you a good supper, for you deserve it."
"So he does, sir. Well, you've established a post on the island, which is a great improvement. Seriously, William, it may prove very useful."
"At all events it will be a great comfort to my mother."
"Yes, especially as we shall be obliged all three to be here when we fit up the storehouse, and make the proposed alterations. Now I think we had better go to bed, for we must be up with the lark to-morrow."
"Here I suppose we ought to say, up with the parrots; for they are the only land birds on the island."
"You forget the pigeons; I saw one of them in the wood the other day.
Good night!"
The next morning, they were off before breakfast. The boat was soon loaded, and they returned under sail. They then breakfasted, and having left the things they had brought on the beach, that they might lose no time, they set off again, and returned with another cargo two hours before dusk; this they landed, and then secured the boat. As soon as they were in the house, William wrote on a piece of paper:—
"Dear Mamma:— We have brought round two cargoes to-day. All well, and very tired. Yours, WILLIAM."