The boys could not at all understand the evident air of mystery and suppressed excitement which neither their mother, Fritz, nor I could entirely conceal. They cast glances of the greatest curiosity towards the island, and as soon as the sails were furled and the anchor dropped, they sprang eagerly ashore. In a body we followed Fritz, maintaining perfect silence.
Presently we emerged from the thicket through which we were passing, and saw before us a hut of sheltering boughs, at the entrance of which burned a cheerful fire.
Into this leafy bower Fritz dived, leaving his brothers without, mute with astonishment. In another moment he emerged, leading by the hand a slight, handsome youth, by his dress apparently a young English naval officer. The pair advanced to meet us; and Fritz, with a countenance radiant with joy, briefly introduced his companion as Edward Montrose.
`And,' he continued, looking at his mother and me, `will you not welcome him as a friend and a brother to our family circle?'
`That will we, indeed!' I exclaimed, advancing and holding out my hands to the fair young stranger. `Our wild life may have roughened our looks and manners, but it has not hardened our hearts, I trust.'
The mother, too, embraced the seeming youth most heartily. The lads, and even the dogs, were not behind-hand in testifying their gratification at the appearance of their new friend—the former delighted at the idea of a fresh companion, and the latter won by her sweet voice and appearance.
From the expressions made use of by Fritz I perceived that the girl wished her sex to remain unrevealed to the rest of the party until my wife could obtain for her a costume more suited to her real character.
The young men then ran down to the yacht to bring up what was necessary for supper, as well as to make preparations for a camp in which we might spend the night. This done, my wife hastened to set before us a substantial meal, while the boys, anxious to make their new acquaintance feel at home amongst them, were doing their best to amuse her. She herself, after the first feeling of strangeness had worn off, entered fully into all their fun; and by the time they sat down to supper was laughing and chatting as gaily as any one of the rest. She admired the various dishes, tasted our mead and, without alluding once to her previous life, kept up a lively conversation.
The mere fact of meeting with any human being after so many years of isolation was in itself sufficient to raise the boys to the greatest state of excitement; but that this being should be one so handsome; so gay, so perfectly charming, seemed completely to have fumed their heads; and when I gave the sign for the breaking-up of the feast, and their new friend was about to be led to the night-quarters which had been prepared for her on board the yacht, the health of Edward Montrose was proposed, and drunk in fragrant mead, amidst the cheers and acclamations of all hands.
When she was gone, and silence had been restored, Jack exclaimed: