"I would, if you'd let me," said Aunt Amanda. "Here's what it says:
"'For this Island is Refuge to such as be afflicted: And in this Island shall be Corrected'—oh! listen to this! I wouldn't believe it from anybody but Reuben Higginson—'shall be Corrected whatever Errors, Disappointments, Miscarriages, Faylures, Preventions, and the like, this mortal Life may have afflicted Any withal: Wherefore I have called it Correction Island.
"'There be Perils enough in coming at Compleat Correction: But let Courage halt not By the way, so shall he Arrive presently.
"'If any be Crooked'—this is the part! it's too wonderful! but Captain Higginson wouldn't have said it, when he was so near going down with his ship, and especially on his way home to get his own sister——"
"Me dear lydy," said Mr. Punch, "hif you would be so wery kind as to——"
"Yes, yes; give me time. I declare you make me so nervous—Now just listen to this, every one of you, and don't speak:
"'If any be Crooked, he shall there be made Straight.'"
She paused, and looked hard at Toby. Mr. Punch started at the same time, and he and Toby looked hard at each other.
"'If any be Blind, he shall see: If any Dumb, he shall speak.'"