PHILOSOPHER JACK, BY R. M. BALLANTYNE. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

TREATS OF OUR HERO AND OTHERS. 

If the entire circuit of a friend's conversation were comprised in thewords "Don't" and "Do, "--it might perhaps be taken for granted that hisadvice was not of much value; nevertheless, it is a fact thatPhilosopher Jack's most intimate and valuable--if not valued--friendnever said anything to him beyond these two words. Nor did he evercondescend to reason. He listened, however, with unwearied patience toreasoning, but when Jack had finished reasoning and had stated hisproposed course of action, he merely said to him, "Don't, " or "Do. "

"For what end was I created?" said the philosopher, gloomily. 

Wise and momentous question when seriously put, but foolish remark, ifnot worse, when flung out in bitterness of soul!

Jack, whose other name was Edwin, and his age nineteen, was a student. Being of an argumentative turn of mind, his college companions haddubbed him Philosopher. Tall, strong, active, kindly, hilarious, earnest, reckless, and impulsive, he was a strange compound, with ahandsome face, a brown fluff on either cheek, and a moustache like alady's eyebrow. Moreover, he was a general favourite, yet this favouredyouth, sitting at his table in his own room, sternly repeated thequestion--in varied form and with increased bitterness--"Why was I bornat all?"

Deep wrinkles of perplexity sat on his youthful brow. Evidently hecould not answer his own question, though in early life his father hadcarefully taught him the "Shorter Catechism with proofs, " while his goodold mother had enforced and exemplified the same. His taciturn friendwas equally unable, or unwilling, to give a reply. 

After prolonged meditation, Jack relieved his breast of a deep sigh andre-read a letter which lay open on his desk. Having read it a thirdtime with knitted brows, he rose, went to the window, and gazedpathetically on the cat's parade, as he styled his prospect of slatesand chimney cans. 

"So, " said he at last, "my dreams are over; prospects gone; hopescollapsed--all vanished like the baseless fabric of a vision. "

He turned from the cat's parade, on which the shades of evening weredescending, to the less romantic contemplation of his empty fire-grate. 

"Now, " said he, re-seating himself at his table and stretching his longlegs under it, "the question is, What am I to do? shall I kick at fate, throw care, like physic, to the dogs, cut the whole concern, and go tosea?"

"Don't, " said his taciturn friend, speaking distinctly for the firsttime. 

"Or, " continued Jack, "shall I meekly bow to circumstances, and strugglewith my difficulties as best I may?"

"Do, " replied his friend, whose name, by the way, was Conscience. 

For a long time the student sat gazing at the open letter in silence. It was from his father, and ran thus:--

 "Dear Teddie, --It's a long time now that I've been thinkin' to write you, and couldn't a-bear to give you such a heavy disappointment but can't putt it off no longer, and, as your mother, poor soul, says, it's the Lord's will and can't be helped--which, of course, it shouldn't be helped if that's true--but--well, howsomever, it's of no use beatin' about the bush no longer. The seasons have been bad for some years past, and it's all I've been able to do to make the two ends meet, with your mother slavin' like a nigger patchin' up the child'n's old rags till they're like Joseph's coat after the wild beast had done its worst on it--though we _are_ given to understand that the only wild beasts as had to do with that coat was Joseph's own brothers. Almost since ever I left the North of England--a small boy--and began to herd cattle on the Border hills, I've had a strange wish to be a learned man, and ever since I took to small farmin', and perceived that such was not to be my lot in life, I've had a powerful desire to see my eldest son--that's you, dear boy--trained in scientific pursoots, all the more that you seemed to have a natural thirst that way yourself. Your mother, good soul, in her own broad tongue--which I've picked up somethin' of myself through livin' twenty year with her--was used to say she `wad raither see her laddie trained in ways o' wisdom than o' book-learnin', ' which I'm agreed to myself, though it seems to me the two are more or less mixed up. Howsomever, it's all up now, my boy; you'll have to fight your own battle and pay your own way, for I've not got one shillin' to rub on another, except what'll pay the rent; and, what with the grey mare breakin' her leg an' the turnips failin', the look-out ahead is darkish at the best. "

The letter finished with some good advice and a blessing. 

To be left thus without resources, just when the golden gates ofknowledge were opening, and a few dazzling gleams of the glory hadpierced his soul, was a crushing blow to the poor student. If he hadbeen a true philosopher, he would have sought counsel on his knees, buthis philosophy was limited; he only took counsel with himself and theimmediate results were disastrous. 

"Yes, " said he, with an impulsive gush, "I'll go to sea. "

"Don't, " said his quiet friend. 

But, regardless of this advice, Edwin Jack smote the table with hisclenched fist so violently that his pen leapt out of its ink-bottle andwrote its own signature on one of his books. He rose in haste and rangthe bell. 

"Mrs Niven, " he said to his landlady, "let me know how much I owe you. I'm about to leave town--and--and won't return. "

"Ech! Maister Jack; what for?" exclaimed the astonished landlady. 

"Because I'm a beggar, " replied the youth, with a bitter smile, "and Imean to go to sea. "

"Hoots! Maister Jack, ye're jokin'. "

"Indeed I am very far from joking, Mrs Niven; I have no money, and nosource of income. As I don't suppose you would give me board andlodging for nothing, I mean to leave. "

"Toots! ye're haverin', " persisted Mrs Niven, who was wont to treat her"young men" with motherly familiarity. "Tak' time to think o't, an'ye'll be in anither mind the morn's mornin'. Nae doot ye're--"

"Now, my good woman, " interrupted Jack, firmly but kindly, "don't botherme with objections or advice, but do what I bid you--there's a goodsoul; be off. "

Mrs Niven saw that she had no chance of impressing her lodger in hispresent mood; she therefore retired, while Jack put on a roughpilot-cloth coat and round straw hat in which he was wont at times to goboating. Thus clad, he went off to the docks of the city in which hedwelt; the name of which city it is not important that the reader shouldknow. 

In a humble abode near the said docks a bulky sea-captain lay stretchedin his hammock, growling. The prevailing odours of the neighbourhoodwere tar, oil, fish, and marine-stores. The sea-captain's room partooklargely of the same odours, and was crowded with more than an averageshare of the stores. It was a particularly small room, with charts, telescopes, speaking-trumpets, log-lines, sextants, portraits of ships, sou'-westers, oil-cloth coats and leggings on the walls; model shipssuspended from the beams overhead; sea-boots, coils of rope, kegs, andhandspikes on the floor; and great shells, earthenware ornaments, pagodas, and Chinese idols on the mantel-piece. In one corner stood achild's crib. The hammock swung across the room like a heavy cloudabout to descend and overwhelm the whole. This simile was further borneout by the dense volumes of tobacco smoke in which the captain envelopedhimself, and through which his red visage loomed over the edge of thehammock like a lurid setting sun. 

For a few minutes the clouds continued to multiply and thicken. Nosound broke the calm that prevailed, save a stertorous breathing, withan occasional hitch in it. Suddenly there was a convulsion in theclouds, and one of the hitches developed into a tremendous cough. Therewas something almost awe-inspiring in the cough. The captain was a hugeand rugged man. His cough was a terrible compound of a choke, a gasp, arend, and a roar. Only lungs of sole-leather could have weathered it. Each paroxysm suggested the idea that the man's vitals were being tornasunder; but not content with that, the exasperated mariner made mattersworse by keeping up a continual growl of indignant remonstrance in athunderous undertone. 

"Hah! that _was_ a splitter. A few more hug--sh! ha! like that willburst the biler entirety. Polly--hallo!"

The lurid sun appeared to listen for a moment, then opening its mouth itshouted, "Polly--ahoy!" as if it were hailing the maintop of aseventy-four. 

Immediately there was a slight movement in one corner of the room, andstraightway from out a mass of marine-stores there emerged a fairy! Atleast, the little girl, of twelve or thereabouts, who suddenly appeared, with rich brown tumbling hair, pretty blue eyes, faultless figure, andineffable sweetness in every lineament of her little face, might easilyhave passed for a fairy or an angel. 

"What! caught you napping?" growled the captain in the midst of aparoxysm. 

"Only a minute, father; I couldn't help it, " replied Polly, with alittle laugh, as she ran to the fireplace and took up a saucepan thatsimmered there. 

"Here, look alive! shove along! hand it up! I'm chokin'!"

The child held the saucepan as high as she could towards the hammock. The captain, reaching down one of his great arms, caught it and took asteaming draught. It seemed to relieve him greatly. 

"You're a trump for gruel, Polly, " he growled, returning the saucepan. "Now then, up with the pyramid, and give us a nor'-wester. "

The child returned the saucepan to the fireplace, and then activelyplaced a chair nearly underneath the hammock. Upon the chair she set astool, and on the top she perched herself. Thus she was enabled tograsp the lurid sun by two enormous whiskers, and, putting her lips out, gave it a charming "nor'-wester, " which was returned with hyperboreanviolence. Immediately after, Polly ducked her head, and thus escapedbeing blown away, like a Hindoo mutineer from a cannon's mouth, as thecaptain went off in another fit. 

"Oh! father, " said Polly, quite solemnly, as she descended and looked upfrom a comparatively safe distance, "isn't it awful?"

"Yes, Poll, it's about the wust 'un I've had since I came fromBarbadoes; but the last panful has mollified it, I think, and yournor'-wester has Pollyfied it, so, turn into your bunk, old girl, an'take a nap. You've much need of it, poor thing. "

"No, father, if I get into my crib I'll sleep so heavy that you won't beable to wake me. I'll just lie down where I was before. "

"Well, well--among the rubbish if ye prefer it; no matter s'long as youhave a snooze, " growled the captain as he turned over, while the fairydisappeared into the dark recess from which she had risen. 

Just then a tap was heard at the door. "Come in, " roared the captain. A tall, broad-shouldered, nautical-looking man entered, took off hishat, and stood before the hammock, whence the captain gave him a stern, searching glance, and opened fire on him with his pipe. 

"Forgive me if I intrude, Captain Samson, " said the stranger; "I knowyou, although you don't know me. You start to-morrow or next day, Iunderstand, for Melbourne?"

"Wind and weather permittin', " growled the captain. "Well, what then?"

"Have you completed your crew?" asked the stranger. 

"Nearly. What then?" replied the captain with a touch of ferocity, forhe felt sensations of an approaching paroxysm. 

"Will you engage _me_?" asked Philosopher Jack, for it was he. 

"In what capacity?" demanded the captain somewhat sarcastically. 

"As an ordinary seaman--or a boy if you will, " replied Edwin, with asmile. 

"No, " growled Samson, decisively, "I won't engage you; men with kidgloves and white hands don't suit me. "

From the mere force of habit the young student had pulled on his gloveson leaving his lodging, and had only removed that of the right hand onentering the captain's dwelling. He now inserted a finger at the wristof the left-hand glove, ripped it off, and flung it with its fellowunder the grate. Thereafter he gathered some ashes and soot from thefireplace, with which he put his hands on a footing with those of acoal-heaver. 

"Will you take me now, captain?" he said, returning to the hammock, andspreading out his hands. 

The captain gave vent to a short laugh, which brought on a tremendousfit, at the conclusion of which he gasped, "Yes, my lad, p'r'aps I will;but first I must know something about you. "

"Certainly, " said the philosopher, and at once gave the captain a briefoutline of his circumstances. 

"Well, you know your own affairs best" said Captain Samson when he hadfinished; "I'm no judge of such a case, but as you're willin' to ship, I'm willin' to ship you. Come here before ten to-morrow. Good night. There, it's a-comin'--hash--k--!"

In the midst of another furious paroxysm Edwin Jack retired. 

Not long after, the captain raised himself on one elbow, listenedintently for a few seconds, and, having satisfied himself that Polly wasasleep, slipped from his hammock--as only seamen know how--and proceededto dress with the utmost caution. He was evidently afraid of the littlesleeper among the rubbish. It was quite interesting to observe thequiet speed with which he thrust his great limbs into his amplegarments, gazing anxiously all the time at Polly's corner. 

Issuing from his own door with the step of an elephantine mouse, thecaptain went rapidly through several streets to the house of an intimatefriend, whom he found at supper with his wife and family. 

"Evenin', Bailie Trench; how are 'ee, Mrs T? how's everybody?" said thecaptain, in a hearty rasping voice, as he shook hands right and left, while one of his huge legs was taken possession of, and embraced, by thebailie's only daughter, a pretty little girl of six. 

"Why, Samson, " exclaimed the bailie, after quiet had been restored, andhis friend had been thrust into a chair with little Susan on his knee, "I thought you were laid up with influenza--eh?"

"So I was, bailie, an' so I am, " replied the captain; "leastwise I'mstill on the sick-list, and was in my hammock till about half an hourago, but I'm gettin' round fast. The night air seems to do me a worldo' good--contrariwise to doctor's expectations. "

"Have some supper?" said Mrs Trench, who was a weakish lady with wateryeyes. 

"No supper, Mrs T, thank 'ee; the fact is, I've come on business. Ishould be on my beam-ends by rights. I'm absent without leave, an' haveonly a few minutes to spare. The passenger I spoke of has changed hismind and his berth is free, so I'm glad to be able to take your son Benafter all. But he'll have to get ready quick, for the _Lively Poll_sails the day after to-morrow or next day--all bein' well. "

The eyes of young Benjamin Trench sparkled. He was a tall, thin, ratherquiet lad of eighteen. 

"I can be ready to-night if you wish it, Captain Samson, " he said, witha flush on his usually pale face. 

Beside Mrs Trench there sat a sturdy little boy. He was the bosomfriend of Ben--a bright ruddy fellow of fourteen, overflowing withanimal spirits, and with energy enough for three lads of his size. Thisyouth's countenance fell so visibly when Ben spoke of going away, thatMrs Trench could not help noticing it. 

"Why, what's the matter, Wilkins?" she asked. 

"Oh, nothing!" returned the boy, "only I don't like to hear Ben speak ofleaving us all and going to Australia. And I would give all the worldto go with him. Won't you take me as a cabin boy, Captain Samson?"

"Sorry I can't, lad, " said the captain, with a grin, "got a cabin boyalready. "

"Besides, your father would not let you, " said Mrs Trench, "and itwould never do to go without his leave. Only misfortune could come ofthat. "

"Humph! it's very hard, " pouted the boy. "I wanted him to get me intothe navy, and he wouldn't; and now I want him to get me into themerchant service, and he won't. But I'll go in spite of him. "

"No, you won't, Watty, " said Ben, laying his hand on his friend'sshoulder. 

"Yes, Ben, I will, " returned little Wilkins, with such an air ofdetermination that every one except Ben laughed. 

"Now, bailie, " said the captain, rising, "I'm off. The truth is, Iwouldn't have come if it had not been important to let you know at onceto get your boy ready; but I had no one to send except Polly, and Iwouldn't send her out at night by herself for all the wealth of Indy. Moreover, _she_ wouldn't have let me out to-night for any considerationwhatever. She's very strict with me, is my little keeper. I wouldn'tfor the world she should wake and find me gone. So, good-night all. "

Ten minutes more, and the guilty man entered his dwelling on tiptoe. Inorder to get into his hammock with extreme caution he forsook hisancient method of a spring, and mounted on an empty cask. The cask wasnot equal to the emergency. He went through the head of it with ahideous crash! Spurning it from him, he had just time to plunge intohis place of repose and haul the clothes over him, when Polly emergedfrom her lair with wondering eyes. 

"What ever was that, father?"

"Nothin', my dear, nothin' in partickler--only a cask I kicked over. Now, then, Poll, since you're keepin' me awake in this fashion, it'syour dooty to soothe me with an extra panful, and another nor'-wester--so, up wi' the pyramid; and after you've done it you must turn into yourcrib. I'll not want you again to-night; the cough's much better. There--thank 'ee. Pollyfy me now--that's right. Good-night. "

Oh, base mariner! little did you merit such a pleasant termination toyour evening's work; but you are not the only wicked man in this worldwho receives more than he deserves. 

Two days after the incidents just related a noble ship spread her canvasto a favouring breeze, and bowing farewell to her port of departure, commenced the long long voyage to the Antipodes. 

She was not a passenger ship, but a trader; nevertheless there were afew passengers on her quarter-deck, and among these towered the colossalfigure of Captain Samson. Beside him, holding his hand, stood afairy-like little creature with brown curls and pretty blue eyes. Notfar from her, leaning over the bulwarks, Benjamin Trench franticallywaved a handkerchief and wiped his eyes. The signal was responded to, with equal feeling, by the bailie, his wife, and little Susan. A goodnumber of people, young and old, assembled at the pier-head, among whommany waved handkerchiefs, and hands, and scarfs, and hats to the crew. 

Among the sailors who gazed wistfully towards the pier was one who madeno farewell signal, and received no parting wave. Philosopher Jack hadconcealed his intention of going to sea from all his college chums, anda bitter feeling of loneliness oppressed his heart as he thought of hisold father and mother, and the lowly cottage on the Border hills. Hehad not, indeed, acted in direct opposition to the wishes of hisparents, but he had disobeyed the well-known Scripture command to dothem "honour, " for he had resolved on his course of action withoutconsulting them, or asking their advice. He felt that he had veryselfishly forsaken them in their old age; in the hour of their soredistress, and at a time when they stood woefully in need of his strongmuscles, buoyant spirit, and energetic brain. In short, Edwin Jackbegan to feel that he required all his philosophy, and something more, to enable him to face the future with the unflinching courage of a man. 

So the ship moved slowly on, revealing on her stern the "_Lively Poll_"in letters of burnished gold--past the pier-head, down the broad river, out upon the widening firth, beyond lighthouse, buoy, and beacon, untilat last the fresh Atlantic breezes filled her snowy sails. 

And ever as she rose and sank upon the rolling waves, their swish andthud fell strangely on the ear of one who lay deep down in the recessesof the hull, where--among barrels of pork, and casks of tar, and cans ofoil, and coils of rope, and other unsavoury stores--he consorted withrats and mice and an uneasy conscience, in thick darkness. This was a"stowaway. " He was a sturdy, bright, ruddy little fellow of fourteen. Down in that unwholesome place, with a few ship-biscuits and a bottle ofwater to keep him alive, he would have looked like a doubled-upovergrown hedgehog if there had been light enough to reveal him. 

Thus, with its little world of hopes and fears, its cares and pleasures, and its brave, trembling, trusting, sorrowing, joyful, anxious, recklesshearts, the good ship passed from the shores of Britain, until her sailsquivered like a petrel's wings on the horizon, and then vanished intothe boundless bosom of the mighty sea. 

CHAPTER TWO. 

TELLS OF A GHOST AND AN OVERWHELMING DISASTER. 

It may seem strange, nevertheless it is true, that ignorance is amisfortune which now and then results in good. Of course we do not makethis remark in commendation of ignorance, but if Baldwin Burr had notbeen ignorant and densely stupid, Philosopher Jack would not have hadthe pleasure of instructing him, and the seaman himself would not haveenjoyed that close intimacy which frequently subsists between teacherand pupil. Even Polly Samson derived benefit from Baldwin's want ofknowledge, for, being remarkably intelligent for her years, and havingbeen well taught, she took great pleasure in enlightening his darkness. 

"How is it, " she asked one day, while sitting on the cabin skylight andlooking up in the man's rugged countenance, "how is it that you are sostupid?"

Burr, who was steering, gave the wheel a turn, looked up at themast-head, then round the horizon, then down at his questioner with abland smile, and said--

"Well now, Miss Polly, d'ee know, that's wot I can't exactly tell. P'r'aps it's 'cause of a nat'ral want of brains, or, maybe, 'cause thebrains is too much imbedded in fat--for I'm a fleshy man, as you see--or, p'r'aps it's 'cause I never went to school, my parients bein' poor, uncommon poor, though remarkably honest. I've sometimes thought, w'enmeditatin' on the subject, that my havin' bin born of a Friday may havehad somethin' to do with it. "

"Oh, Baldwin, " said Polly with a little laugh, "surely you can't believethat. Father says it's all nonsense about Friday being an unlucky day. "

"P'r'aps it is, an' p'r'aps it ain't, " returned the cautious seaman. "Iregard your father, my dear, as a deeply learned man, and would give in, if I could, to wotever he says, but facts is facts, and opinions isopinions, you can't change that, nohow you fix it. Wot's the cap'n'sopinions, now, as to ghosts?"

"He don't believe in 'em at all, " was Polly's prompt answer. "No moredo I, for father knows everything, and he's always right. "

"He's a lucky man to have you, Polly, and there's a lucky boy knockin'about the world somewheres lookin' out for you. A good daughter, it'ssaid, inwariably makes a good wife; which you don't understand just now, but you'll come to in course of time. Hows'ever, as I wos observin', I've been of the same opinion as your father till two nights ago, when Iheard a ghost right under the deck, it seemed to me, blow my hammock, where there's nothin' but ship's stores and rats. "

"Heard a ghost!" exclaimed Polly, with opening eyes. 

"Ay, an' seed 'im too, " said Burr. "Night before yesterday I heer'd 'imas plain as I hear myself. He wos groanin', an' it's quite impossiblethat a tar-barrel, or a cask, or a rat, could groan. The only thingthat puzzled me wos that he seemed to snore; more than that he sneezedonce or twice. Now, I never heard it said that a ghost could sleep orcatch cold. Did you, Polly?"

Polly laughed and said that she never did, and asked eagerly what theghost was like. 

"It was wery much like an or'nary man of small size, " said the seaman, "but it were too dark to make out its face. I know the figure of everysoul in the ship by this time, an' I could swear before a maginstrate, or a bench of bishops, that the ghost is neither one of the crew nor apassenger. "

"Why didn't you speak to it?" asked Polly. 

"So I did speak to it, but it wouldn't answer; then I made a grab at it, but it was as active as a kitten, dodged round the mainmast, flew for'edon inwisible wings, and went slap down the fore-scuttle, head first, with a crash that would have broke the neck of anything but a ghost. "

At this interesting point the conversation was interrupted by EdwinJack, whose turn it was to relieve the man at the wheel. He nodded toPolly as he came up, took his post, and received the ship's "course"from Burr, who thrust his hands into his pockets, and left thequarter-deck. 

Edwin was by this time a considerably changed man, although but a fewdays at sea. The rough blue trousers, guernsey, and pea-jacket, took asnaturally to his strong limbs as if he had been born and bred a sailor;and already some huge blisters, a few scars, and not a little tar, hadrendered his hands creditable. 

Steering at the time was a mere matter of form, as a dead calmprevailed. Our philosopher therefore amused himself and Polly withcommentaries on the ghost-subject which Burr had raised. 

Late that night, when the stars were shining in a cloudless sky, andwinking at their reflections in the glassy ocean, the ghost appeared toEdwin Jack. It was on this wise:

Jack, being one of the watch on deck, went to the port bulwarks near theforemast shrouds, leant over, and, gazing down into the reflected sky, thought sadly of past, present, and future. Tiring at last of hismeditations, he went towards a man who appeared to be skulking under theshadow of the long-boat and remarked that it was a fine night, but theman made no reply. 

"A most enjoyable night, shipmate, " he said, going closer. 

"I'm glad you think so, " said the ghost, "it's anything but enjoyable to_me_. The state of the weather hasn't much effect, either one way oranother, on a fellow who is half-dead with hunger, half-choked with acold caught among the rats and stores, and half-killed by a tumble downthe fore-scuttle, or whatever may be the name of that vile ladder thatleads to the regions below. "

"Surely, " exclaimed Jack in surprise, seizing the ghost by the shouldersand looking close into its face, "I have heard your voice before now, and, eh?--no, I don't know you. "

"Yes, Philosopher Jack, you do know me, " returned the ghost; "I've hadthe honour of playing cricket with you on the green, though you'veforgotten me, and no wonder, for I've suffered much from bad air andsea-sickness of late. My name is Walter, more familiarly WattyWilkins. "

"Little Wilkins!" exclaimed Jack, in surprise, "well, you _are_ changed;you don't mean to say that you've run away from home?"

"That's just what I've done, " said the poor lad in a tone ofdespondency; "but you've no occasion to shake your head at me sosolemnly, for, to all appearance, you have run away too. "

"No, Wilkins, you are wrong, I have walked away, being my own master, and I have done it openly, though I admit somewhat hastily--"

Jack was interrupted at that moment by Ben Trench laying a hand on hisshoulder. 

"It strikes me, " he said, in some surprise, "that I recognise the voiceof a townsman--Mister Jack, if I mistake not?"

"No, sir, " replied the philosopher, "not _Mister_, only Edwin Jack, seaman aboard the _Lively Poll_. You are right, however, in styling metownsman. Allow me to introduce you to another townsman, Mr WattyWilkins, stowaway on board of the same vessel!"

Trench had not, in the darkness, recognised his friend. He now seizedhim by both shoulders, and peering into his face, said--

"O Watty, Watty, have you really done it? I had thought better of you. "

"I _said_ I would do it, and I've _done_ it, " returned the little youthsomewhat testily; "and now I want to know what is to be done next. "

"Report yourself and take the consequences, " said Jack, promptly. 

This advice being seconded by Ben Trench, Watty Wilkins went aft to thecaptain, who had just come on deck, touched his cap, and confessedhimself. 

For some moments the captain spoke not a word, but looked at the youngculprit with a portentous frown. Then, uttering something like a deepbass growl, he ordered the lad to follow him into his private cabin. When there, Captain Samson seated himself on a locker, and with a handon each knee, glared at his prisoner so long and so fiercely from underhis shaggy brows, that Watty, in spite of his recklessness, began tofeel uneasy. 

"So, youngster, you've run away?" he said at length, in deep solemnity. 

"Yes, sir, " replied Wilkins. 

"And you think yourself a fine clever fellow, no doubt?"

"No, sir, I don't, " said Watty, with much humility. 

"I knew your father, boy, " continued the captain, assuming a softer andmore serious tone, "and I think he is a good man. "

"He is, sir, " returned the boy promptly. 

"Ay, and he is a kind man; he has been kind to _you_, I think. "

Watty hung his head. 

"He has fed you, clothed you, educated you since you was a babby; nursedyou, maybe, in sickness, and prayed for you, no doubt that God wouldmake you a good, obedient and loving son. "

The boy's head drooped still lower. 

"And for all this, " continued the captain, "you have repaid him byrunning away. Now, my lad, as you have made your bed you shall lie onit. I'll clap your nose to the grindstone, and keep it there. Steward!"

A smart little man answered to the call. 

"Take this boy for'ed, and teach him to clean up. Don't spare him. "

In obedience to this order the steward took little Wilkins forward andintroduced him to the cook, who introduced him to the coppers andscrubbing brushes. From that day forward Master Watty became deeplyversed in the dirty work and hard work of the ship, so that all theromance of a sea life was driven out of him, and its stern realitieswere implanted. In less than three weeks there was not a cup, saucer, or plate in the ship that Watty had not washed; not a "brass" that hehad not polished and re-polished; not a copper that he had not scraped;not an inch of the deck that he had not swabbed. But it must not besupposed that he groaned under this labour. Although reckless, hasty, and inconsiderate, he was not mean-spirited. Making up his mind to dohis best in the circumstances, he went cheerfully to his dirty work, anddid it well. 

"You see, " said he to Philosopher Jack, as they chanced one dark nightto have a few minutes' talk together near the weather gangway, whereWatty paused on his way to the caboose with a soup-tureen, "as thecaptain says, I've made the bed myself, so I must lie on it and I'mresolved to lie straight, and not kick. "

"Right, Watty, right, " said Jack, with a sigh; "we have both been fools, so must grin and bear it. "

Watty greeted this remark, to Jack's surprise, with a sudden andunexpected yell, as he received a cut from a rope's-end over the back. 

"What, idling, eh?" cried the steward, flourishing the rope's-end again. 

In a burst of rage the poor boy raised the soup-tureen, and wouldinfallibly have shattered it on the man's head if Jack had not caughthis arm. 

"Come, Wilkins, mind what you're about, " he said, pushing him towardsthe forepart of the ship to prevent a scuffle. 

A moment's reflection sufficed to convince Wilkins of the folly, as wellas uselessness, of rebellion. Pocketing his pride and burning withindignation, he walked forward, while the tyrannical steward wentgrumbling to his own private den. 

It chanced that night that the captain, ignorant of what had occurred, sent for the unfortunate stowaway, for the mitigation of whose sorrowshis friend Ben Trench had, more than once, pleaded earnestly, but invain. The captain invariably replied that Watty had acted ungratefullyand rebelliously to a kind father, and it was his duty to let him bearthe full punishment of his conduct. 

Watty was still smarting from the rope's-end when he entered the cabin. 

"Youngster, " said the captain, sternly, "I sent for you to tell you of afact that came to my knowledge just before we left port. Your fathertold me that, being unwilling to disappoint you in your desires, he hadmanaged to get a situation of some sort for you on board a well-knownline of ocean steamers, and he only waited to get the thing fairlysettled before letting you know about it. There, you may go for'ed andthink what you have lost by running away. "

Without a word of reply Watty left the cabin. His day's work had justbeen completed. He turned into his hammock, and, laying his head on hispillow, quietly wept himself to sleep. 

"Ain't you rather hard on the poor boy, father?" said Polly, who hadwitnessed the interview. 

"Not so hard as you think, little woman, " answered the captain, strokingthe child's head with his great hand; "that little rascal has committeda great sin. He has set out on the tracks of the prodigal son you'veoften read about, an' he's not sufficiently impressed with his guilt. When I get him into a proper frame o' mind I'll not be so hard on him. Now, Polly, go putt your doll to bed, and don't criticise your father. "

Polly seized the huge whiskers of her sire, and giving him anunsolicited "nor'-wester, " which was duly returned, went off to herlittle cot. 

We do not mean to trouble the reader with all the incidents of aprolonged voyage to southern latitudes, during which Philosopher Jackformed a strong friendship with Ben Trench and Watty Wilkins; continuedhis instruction of the amiable and unfathomable Baldwin Burr, and becamea general favourite with the crew of the _Lively Poll_. Suffice it tosay that all went well, and the good ship sailed along under favouringbreezes without mishap of any kind until she reached that great oceanwhose unknown waters circle round the Southern Pole. 

Here, however, good fortune forsook them, and contrary-gales bafflingthe _Lively Poll_ drove her out of her course, while tumbling billowsbuffeted her severely. 

One night a dead calm prevailed. The air became hot, clouds roserapidly over the sky, and the barometer--that faithful friend of themariner--fell unusually low. 

"How dreadfully dark it is getting, " said Polly, in a low, half-frightened tone to Baldwin Burr, who was at the wheel. 

"We're going to have a night of it, my dear, " replied the seaman. 

If he had said that the winds and waves were going to "have a night ofit" Baldwin Burr would have been more strictly correct. He had scarcelyuttered the words when the captain gave orders to close-reef thetop-sails. Our philosopher, springing aloft with his comrades, was outon the top-sail yard in a few seconds. Scarcely had the sails beenreefed when the gale burst upon the ship, and almost laid her flat uponthe foaming sea. At first the very violence of the wind kept the wavesdown, but they gradually rose until the ship was tossed on their crestsand engulfed in their hollows like a cork. As the force of the galeincreased sail was further reduced, until nothing but a mere rag wasleft and even this at last was split and blown to ribbons. Inky cloudssoon obscured the sky, and, as night descended on the wild scene, thedarkness became so intense that nothing could be seen except the palegleam of foaming billows as they flashed past over the bulwarks. In themidst of the turmoil there came a blinding flash of lightning, followedinstantly by a terrible crash of thunder. This was succeeded by a soundof rending which was not the result of elemental strife. 

"Foremast gone, sir, " cried one of the men, staggering aft. 

Seizing an axe, the captain sprang forward. Edwin Jack followed. Theyfound the ship's-carpenter already at work cutting the shrouds and otherropes that held the wreck of the mast. As flashes of lightning followedin quick succession they revealed a scene of ruin on the forepart of thevessel, with the tall figure of Edwin as he stood on the bulwarkswielding an axe. At last the wreck was cleared, but the seas were nowbursting over the decks and sweeping away everything not made fast. Among other things the long-boat was carried away, and ere long all theother boats were torn from their fastenings or destroyed. It was afearful night. Even the most reckless among the sailors were overawedby such a display of the terrors of God. At such times scoffers arewont to become tremblers, and those who "trust in God" find Him "a verypresent help in trouble. "

The gale was as short-lived as it was fierce. By the dawn of thefollowing day it had abated considerably, and it was found that lessdamage had been done to the ship than might have been expected. 

"We're all right, Polly, thank God!" said the captain, earnestly, whenhe ventured to open the companion hatch and go below. "You prayed forus, dear, didn't you?"

"Yes, father, I did; I prayed that our lives might be spared, if Hepleased. "

"Well, Polly, our prayers have been answered, " said the captain; "ourlives are spared and the ship is safe, though we've lost the foremastand the boats. However, that can be putt to rights; we'll rig up ajury-mast and get on famously, so keep up your heart, old girl, and giveus a nor'--. There, you'd better stay below yet awhile; it's dirty ondeck. "

The weather was not long of improving. A profound calm followed thestorm. Bright sunshine banished the thunder-clouds. The contrastbetween the dangers just past and the peaceful condition that prevailedhad the effect of raising the spirits of all on board the _Lively Poll_to an unusual height, so that snatches of song, whistling, and cheeryremarks, were heard on all sides among the busy crew as they rigged up anew mast, bent on new sails, and repaired the various damages. Whennight put a stop to their labours, and every one sought repose, exceptthe watch and the captain and the man at the wheel, the same peacefulcalm continued. Only the long undulating swell of ocean remained totell of the recent storm, while the glassy surface reflected a universeof stars. 

It was at this time of profound repose and fancied security that thedeath-knell of the _Lively Poll_ was sounded. In the southern seasthere is a little creature, named the coral insect (of which we shallhave more to say hereafter), which is ever at work building walls andramparts on the bottom of the sea. These rise by degrees to thesurface, --rise above it--and finally become some of the fairest isles ofthe Pacific. Charts tell of the isles, but no charts can tell thelocality of coral reefs which have just, or barely, reached the surface. The _Lively Poll_ was forging slowly ahead under a puff of air thatonly bulged her top-sails as she rose and sank on the majestic swell. Presently she rose high, and was then let down on a coral reef with suchviolence that the jury-mast with the main-topmast and all the connectedrigging, went over the side. Another swell lifted her off, and flungher on the ocean's breast a total wreck. 

The scene that followed may be imagined. Whatever could be done by anable and active seaman in such an emergency was done by Captain Samson. Water was rushing in through the shattered hull. To pass a sail underthe ship's bottom and check this was the first act. Then the pumps wererigged and worked by all on board. Besides Ben Trench there were threegentlemen passengers. These took their turn with the rest, but all wasof no avail. The ship was sinking. The utmost efforts of those whoselives seemed dependent on her only delayed the final catastrophe. 

"There is no hope, " said the captain in a low tone to his chief mate, towhom he gave some rapid orders, and went below. 

It was daybreak, and the first gleam of light that leaped over theglassy sea tinged the golden curls of Polly Samson as she lay sleepingon one of the cabin sofas. She awoke and started up. 

"Lie still, darling, and rest as long as you may, " said the captain in alow tender voice, "and pray, Polly, pray for us again. God is able tosave to the uttermost, my pet. "

He said this without pausing, as he went to his berth and brought out asextant, with which he returned on deck. 

Standing near the foot of the companion-ladder, Watty Wilkins had heardthe words, "There is no hope, " and the few sentences addressed to thechild. His impressionable spirit leapt to the conclusion that the fateof all on board was sealed. He knew that the boats had all been sweptaway, and a feeling of profound despair seized him. This was quicklyfollowed by contrition for his past conduct and pity for his father, under the impulse of which he sat down in a corner of the steward'spantry and groaned aloud. Then he wrote a few lines in pencil on apiece of paper, bidding farewell to his father. Often had he read ofsuch messages from the sea being wafted ashore in bottles, but littledid he expect ever to have occasion to write one. He had just put thepaper in a bottle, corked it up, and dropped it out of one of the cabinwindows, when he was summoned on deck, and found that a raft was beinghastily prepared alongside. Already some casks of biscuits and waterhad been lowered on it, while the carpenter and several men were busilyat work increasing its size and binding it together with iron clamps, hawsers, and chains. 

There was urgent need for haste, as the ship was fast settling down. 

"Now then, my lads, look alive!" cried the captain, as he lifted hislittle daughter over the side. "The ship can't float much longer. Here, Jack, catch hold. "

Edwin sprang to the side of the raft, and, standing up, received Pollyin his arms. 

"Take care of her! Hold her tight!" cried the anxious father. 

"Trust me, " said Philosopher Jack. 

The child was placed on the highest part of the raft with thepassengers, and partially covered with a shawl. The crew were thenordered to leave the ship. Having seen every one out of it CaptainSamson descended and gave the order to shove off. This was quicklydone, and the distance was slowly increased by means of two large oars. The huge mass of spars and planks moved gradually away from the doomedvessel, whose deck was by that time little above the level of the sea. They had not got more than a few hundred yards off, when Baldwin Burr, who pulled one of the oars, uttered an exclamation. Edwin Jack and BenTrench, who knelt close to him fastening a rope, looked up and saw thecaptain standing on the high part of the raft near Polly and littleWilkins, waving his right hand. He was bidding farewell to the oldship, which suddenly went down with a heavy roll. Another moment, andonly a few ripples remained to mark the spot where the _Lively Poll_ hadfound an ocean tomb. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

ADRIFT ON THE GREAT OCEAN. 

Sunshine gladdens the heart of man and causes him more or less to forgethis sorrows. The day on which the _Lively Poll_ went down was brightand warm, as well as calm, so that some of those who were cast away onthe raft--after the first shock had passed, and while busily employed inbinding the spars and making other needful arrangements--began to feelsensations approaching almost to hilarity. 

Polly Samson, in particular, being of a romantic turn of mind, soondried her eyes, and when called on to assist in the construction of alittle place of shelter for herself on the centre of the raft, by meansof boxes and sails, she began to think that the life of a castaway mightnot be so disagreeable after all. When this shelter or hut wascompleted, and she sat in it with her father taking luncheon, she toldhim in confidence that she thought rafting was "very nice. "

"Glad you find it so, Polly, " replied the captain with a sad smile. 

"Of course, you know, " she continued, with great seriousness of look andtone, "I don't think it's nice that our ship is lost. I'm very verysorry--oh, you can't think how sorry!--for that, but this is such afunny little cabin, you know, and so snug, and the weather is _so_ fine;do you think it will last long, father?"

"I hope it may; God grant that it may, darling, but we can't be sure. If it does last, I daresay we shall manage to reach one of the islands, of which there are plenty in the Southern Seas, but--"

A roar of laughter from the men arrested and surprised the captain. Heraised the flap of sail which served as a door to the hut--Polly'sbower, as the men styled it--and saw one of the passengers dragged froma hole or space between the spars of the raft, into which he had slippedup to the waist. Mr Luke, the passenger referred to, was considered aweak man, mind and body, --a sort of human nonentity, a harmlesscreature, with long legs and narrow shoulders. He took his cold bathwith philosophic coolness, and acknowledged the laughter of the men witha bland smile. Regardless of his drenched condition, he sat down on asmall keg and joined the crew at the meal of cold provisions whichserved that day for dinner. 

"Lucky for us, " said one of the sailors, making play with hisclasp-knife on a junk of salt pork, "that we've got such a fine day tobegin with. "

"That's true, Bob, " said another; "a raft ain't much of a sea-goin'craft. If it had blowed hard when we shoved off from the ship we mightha' bin tore to bits before we was well fixed together, but we've hadtime to make all taut now, and can stand a stiffish breeze. Shove alongthe breadbasket, mate. "

"You've had your allowance, Bob; mind, we're on short commons now, " saidBaldwin Burr, who superintended the distribution of provisions, andserved out a measured quantity to every man. "There's your grog foryou. "

Bob Corkey growled a little as he wiped his knife on his leg, andaccepted the allowance of "grog, " which, however, was only pure water. 

"Are you sure the raft can stand a storm?" inquired Watty Wilkins ofPhilosopher Jack, who sat eating his poor meal beside him. 

"Sure?" responded Jack, "we can be sure of nothing in this life. "

"Except trouble, " growled Corkey. 

"Oh yes, you can be sure of more than that, " said Baldwin Burr; "you canalways be sure of folly coming out of a fool's mouth. "

"Come, come, Baldwin, be civil, " said Philosopher Jack; "it's cowardly, you know, to insult a man when you can't fight him. "

"Can't fight him?" repeated Burr with a grin; "who said I couldn't fighthim, eh? Why, I'm ready to fight him now, right off. "

"Nevertheless, you can't, " persisted the philosopher; "how could two menfight on a raft where there's not room for a fair stand-up scrimmagebetween two rats? Come now, don't argue, Burr, but answer littleWilkins's question if you can. "

"Stowaways don't desarve to have their questions answered, " said Corkey;"in fact, they don't desarve to live. If I had my way, I'd kill littleWilkins and salt him down to be ready for us when the pork and biscuitfail. "

"Well, now, as to the safety of this here raft in a gale, smallWilkins, " said Baldwin, regardless of Corkey's interruption, "thatdepends summat on the natur' o' the gale. If it was only a half-galewe'd weather it all right, I make no doubt; but, if it should come toblow hard, d'ee see, we have no occasion to kill and eat you, as we'dall be killed together and eaten by the sharks. "

"Sharks!" exclaimed Mr Luke, whose damp garments were steaming underthe powerful sun like a boiler on washing-day; "are there sharks here?"

"Ay, " said Corkey, pointing to the sea astern, where the glassy surfacewas broken and rippled by a sharp angular object, "that's a sharka-follerin' of us now, leastwise the back fin of one. If you don'tbelieve it, jump overboard and you'll soon be convinced. "

This reference to the shark was overheard by Polly, who came out of herbower to see it. The monster of the deep came close up at that moment, as if to gratify the child, and, turning on its back, according to sharkhabit when about to seize any object, thrust its nose out of the water. For one moment its double row of teeth were exposed to view, then theyclosed on a lump of pork that had been accidentally knocked overboard byCorkey. 

"Is that the way you take care of our provisions?" said the captain, sternly, to Baldwin. 

"We've got a big hook, sir, " said Edwin Jack, touching his cap; "shallwe try to recover the pork?"

"You may try, " returned the captain. 

Little Wilkins uttered something like a war-whoop as he leaped up andassisted Jack to get out the shark-hook. It was soon baited withanother piece of pork. Ben Trench, who had a strong leaning to naturalhistory, became very eager; and the men generally, being ever ready forsport, looked on with interest and prepared to lend a hand. The shark, however, was cautious. It did indeed rush at the bait, and seemed aboutto swallow it, but suddenly changed its mind, swam round it once ortwice, then fell slowly astern, and finally disappeared. 

Although the fish was not caught, this little incident served to raisethe spirits of every one, and as the calm sunny weather lasted the wholeday, even the most thoughtful of the party found it difficult to realisetheir forlorn condition; but when evening drew near, the aspect ofthings quickly changed. The splendid ocean-mirror, which had reflectedthe golden crags and slopes, the towers and battlements of cloud-land, was shivered by a sudden breeze and became an opaque grey; the fair bluesky deepened to indigo; black and gathering clouds rose out of thehorizon, and cold white crests gleamed on the darkening waves. The mengathered in anxious groups, and Polly sat in the entrance of her bowergazing on the gloomy scene, until her young heart sank slowly butsteadily. Then, remembering her father's advice, she betook herself toGod in prayer. 

Young though she was, Polly was no sentimentalist in religion. Shebelieved with all her heart in Jesus Christ as a living, loving Saviour. Her faith was very simple, and founded on experience. She had prayed, and had been answered. She had sought Jesus in sorrow, and had beencomforted. The theologian can give the why and how and wherefore ofthis happy condition, but in practice he can arrive at it only by thesame short road. One result of her prayer was that she went to sleepthat night in perfect peace, while most of her companions in misfortunesat anxiously watching what appeared to be a gathering storm. 

Before going to rest however, Polly had an earnest little talk with herfather. 

"Polly, " said Captain Samson, sitting down under the shelter of thetarpaulin, and drawing the child's fair head on his breast, "I neverspoke to you before on a subject that p'r'aps you won't understand, butI am forced to do it now. It's about money. "

"About money!" exclaimed Polly in surprise; "oh, father, surely youforget! The very last night we spent on shore, you spoke to me aboutmoney; you gave me a half-sovereign, and said you meant to give ablow-out to old Mrs Brown before leaving, and told me to buy--stay, letme see--there was half a pound of tea, and four pounds of sugar, andthree penn'orth of snuff, and--"

"Yes, yes, Polly, " interrupted the captain, with a smile, "but I meantabout money in a business way, you know, because if you chanced, d'eesee, ever to be in England without me, you know, --it--"

"But I'll never be there without you, father, will I?" asked the childwith an earnest look. 

"Of course not--that's to say, I _hope_ not--but you know, Polly, thatGod arranges all the affairs of this world, and sometimes in His loveand wisdom He sees fit to separate people--for a time, you know, _only_for a time--so that they don't always keep together. Now, my darling, if it should please Him to send me cruising to--to--anywhere in adifferent direction from you, and you chanced ever to be in Englandalone--in Scotland, that is--at your own home, you must go to BailieTrench--you know him--our old friend and helper when we were in shoalwater, my dear, and say to him that I handed all my savings over to MrWilkins--that's Watty's father, Poll--to be invested in the way hethought best. When you tell that to Bailie Trench he'll know what todo; he understands all about it. I might send you to Mr Wilkins directbut he's a very great man, d'ee see, and doesn't know you, and mightrefuse to give you the money. "

"To give me the money, father! But what should I do with the money whenI got it?"

"Keep it, my darling. "

"Oh! I see, keep it safe for you till you came back?" said Polly. 

"Just so, Poll, you're a clever girl; keep it for me till I come back, or rather take it to Bailie Trench and he'll tell you how to keep it. It's a good pot o' money, Poll, and has cost me the best part of alifetime, workin' hard and spendin' little, to lay it by. Once I usedto think, " continued the captain in a sad soliloquising tone, "that I'dlive to cast anchor near the old spot, and spend it with your mother, Polly, and you; but the Lord willed it otherwise, and He does all thingswell, blessed be His name! Now you understand what you're to do aboutthe money, don't you, if you should ever find yourself without me inScotland, eh?"

Polly did not quite clearly understand, but after a little furtherexplanation she professed herself to be quite prepared for thetransaction of that important piece of financial business. 

Poor Captain Samson sought thus to secure, to the best of his ability, that the small savings of his life should go to Polly in the event ofher being saved and himself lost. Moreover, he revealed the state ofhis finances to Philosopher Jack, Ben Trench, and Watty Wilkins, whom hefound grouped apart at a corner of the raft in earnest conversation, andbegged of them, if they or any of them should survive, to see hisdaughter's interest attended to. 

"You see, my lads, although I would not for the world terrify the dearchild uselessly, by telling her that we are in danger, it must be clearto you that if a gale springs up and our raft should be broken up, it'snot likely that all of us would be saved. Yet Polly might escape, andsome of you also. We are all in the Lord's hands, however, and havenothing to fear if we are His followers. "

Ah! that "if" went home. The captain did not lay stress on it;nevertheless stress was laid on it somehow, for the three youths foundit recurring again and again to memory that night, though they did notspeak of it to each other. 

As the night advanced, the threatening gale passed away; the stars cameout in all their splendour, and the morning sun found the glassy seaagain ready to reflect his image. Thus they floated for several days incomparative peace and comfort. But it came at last. 

One evening a squall came rushing down on them, turning up the sea, andconverting it to ink and foam as it approached. The rag of sail withwhich they had previously courted the breeze in vain was hastily takenin; the fastenings of everything were looked to. Polly was placed inher canvas bower, and the whole structure of the raft was strengthenedwith a network of hawsers and cordage. 

When the squall struck them, the raft appeared to tremble. The seasbroke clean over them, several articles not properly secured were sweptoff, and weak points in the main fastenings were made plain, as thespars, beams, and planks writhed and struggled to get free. 

But Captain Samson and his men were equal to the occasion; an iron clamphere, and an extra turn of a chain or hawser there, made all fast, sothat before the squall had time to raise the sea, the raft held welltogether, and yielded, without breaking, to the motions of the waves. 

Of course every one was drenched, including poor little Polly, foralthough the tarpaulin turned off the waves and spray above, it couldnot prevent the water spirting up between the spars from below. ButPolly was, according to Baldwin, "a true chip of the old block;" shebore her discomforts with heroism, and quite put to shame poor Mr Luke, whose nervous temperament caused him great suffering. 

Thus was spent a night of anxiety. The next day was little better, andthe night following was worse. In addition to the violence of the windand constant breaking over them of heavy seas, the darkness became sointense that it was difficult to see where damage to the fasteningsoccurred, and repairs became almost impossible. 

About midnight there was a terrible rending of wood in that part of theraft lying farthest from Polly's bower, and a great cry of fear washeard. The more courageous among the men sprang, by a natural impulse, to assist those in distress. It was found that a large portion of theraft had broken adrift, and was only held to it by a single rope. Onthis portion were two passengers and one of the crew. The former wereapparently panic-stricken; the latter made frantic but futile attemptsto haul in on the rope. 

"Bear a hand, boys!" cried Edwin Jack, as he laid hold of the inner endof the rope. 

Strong and willing hands were ready, but before they could lay hold therope parted, and Jack was dragged violently into the sea. He rose likea cork. Little Wilkins lay down, and stretched out a helping hand. Jack caught it, and would infallibly have dragged the little fellow intothe water if Ben Trench had not thrown himself on his legs and held on. Baldwin Burr seized hold of Ben, and the captain coming up at themoment, lent his powerful aid. Jack was saved, but the broken part ofthe raft, with its hapless occupants, was swept away and lost sight of. 

This sad event had naturally a very depressing effect on every one. True, the portion of the raft which had broken away was large enough tosustain the unfortunates who were on it. Moreover, some of theprovisions had also gone with them, so that there was hope of theirholding out for a time and being picked up by a passing ship, but thehope was slight, and in the event of rougher weather, their fate wouldbe certain. 

For six days and nights the raft was tossed about on the open sea. Itcould scarcely be said that it sailed, although as large a mast andpiece of canvas as they could set up urged it slowly though the waterwhen the wind was strong. As to steering, that was next to impossible, and in truth it did not matter much how they steered. 

Constant exposure by night and by day now began to tell on the lessrobust of the crew. Little Polly, however, was not one of these. Shepossessed a naturally good constitution, and was, besides, speciallycared for by her father, who devoted all the powers of an inventive mindto the strengthening and improving of "the bower. " In this he was ablyassisted by Philosopher Jack, whose love for the child deepened daily ashe watched the sweet contented manner with which she received everydrenching--and she got many--and the anxious way in which she inquiredfor, and sought to help, those of the party whose health began to fail. 

Among these latter was Ben Trench. 

"Ah! Polly, " said Ben one sultry forenoon when she brought him a glassof sweetened lime-juice and water, "you're a kind little nurse. Ireally don't know how I should get on without you. "

"Upon my word, " said little Wilkins, pouting, "you're a grateful fellow!Here have I been nursing you all the morning, yet you seem to thinknothing of that in comparison with Polly's glass of lime-juice. "

"Come, Watty, don't be jealous, " said Ben; "it's not the glass oflime-juice, but Polly's sympathetic face beaming behind it, that does meso much good. Besides, you know, Polly's a girl, and a girl is always abetter nurse than a man; you must admit that. "

Watty was not at all prepared to admit that, but his being spoken of asa man did much to mollify his hurt feelings. 

"But I do hope you feel better to-day, " said Polly, observing with someanxiety the short, half-breathless manner in which the invalid spoke. 

"Oh yes! I feel better--that is to say, I think I do. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. You know, Polly, I came on this voyage chieflyon account of my health, and of course I must expect to be a littledamaged by so much exposure, though your good father has indeed done hisbest to shelter me. Why, do you know, I sometimes think the berth hehas made for me between the logs here is a greater triumph of hisinventive genius than your bower. I often think they spoiled a splendidengineer when they made your father a sailor. "

Polly laughed at this, and Watty Wilkins tried to laugh, just by way ofkeeping up his friend's spirits and being what Baldwin called goodcompany; but poor Watty could not laugh. He had loved and played withBen Trench since ever he could remember, and when he looked at his paleface and listened to his weak voice, a dread foreboding came over him, and brought such a rush of feeling to his heart that he was fain to leapup and spring to the farthest end of the raft, where he fell to haulingand tightening one of the rope-fastenings with all the energy of hislittle body and soul. 

"Land ho!" shouted one of the men at that moment from the top of a cask, which formed the outlook, where, every day and all day, a man wasstationed to watch for a sail or a sign of land. 

An electric shock could not have produced greater excitement than thesetwo words. 

"Where away?" exclaimed the captain, leaping up beside the look-out. 

"On the port-bow, sir, --there!" pointing eagerly. 

"I don't see it--oh--yes--no. It's only a cloud. Who ever heard of theport-bow of a raft? Bah! your eyes have been squintin'. Not a bit ofit, I see it--low lyin'; why, I see the palms--and I see the nuts--ah, and the monkeys, no doubt a-eatin' of 'em--hip, hip, hurrah!"

Such were some of the exclamations, ending in a long, deep-toned, British cheer, with which the discovery of land was greeted. 

In a short time all uncertainty was removed, and the land was clearlymade out to be a small coral island with its narrow outlying reef, and afew cocoa-nut palms waving thereon. 

The joy of the shipwrecked crew was excessive--somewhat in proportion totheir previous depression. They shook bands, laughed, cheered, and insome cases wept, while a few clasped their hands, looked up, and audiblythanked God. 

"You'll soon get ashore, " said Polly, laying her hand on Ben Trench'sarm. 

"Ay, and the cocoa-nut milk will set you up and make you fat in notime, " added Watty Wilkins. 

"So it will, " returned Ben, who had not risen like the others; "we'llhave jolly times of it, won't we? Like Robinson Crusoe. Oh! how I wishthat sister Susan was here! She would enjoy it so much. It's anisland, isn't it?"

"Yes, " said Edwin Jack, coming forward at the moment, "a coral island, with plenty of vegetation on it. So cheer up, Ben, we shall soon beashore. "

Not so soon, however, as they expected, for the wind was light, althoughfavourable, the raft was heavy, and the two oars had but littleinfluence on it. The sun sank and rose again before they drew near tothe reef. Inside the reef, between it and the island-shore, there was alake or lagoon of calm water, but outside, on the reef itself, a heavyswell broke with continuous roar. To get involved in those giantbreakers would have been destruction to the raft, and probably death tomost of those on board. One narrow opening, marked by a few shrubs andpalms on either side, formed the only portal to the calm lagoon. Thecaptain himself took the steering oar, and summoned our philosopher tohis assistance. 

"Give way now, lads, with a will. "

As many men as could grasp the two oars laid hold of them, and benttheir backs till the strong wood cracked again. Gradually the raftneared the opening. As it did so the ground-swell began to act on it. By degrees the towering billows--which seemed to rise out of a calm seaand rush to their destruction like walls of liquid glass--caught it, dragged it on a little, and then let it slip. At last one great wavebegan to curl in hissing foam underneath, caught the raft fairly, carried it forward on its boiling crest, and launched it with lightningspeed into the opening. The space was too narrow! One of theprojecting spars touched the reef. Instantly the fastenings were rentlike pack-thread, and the raft was hurled forward in disconnectedfragments. One of these turned completely over with several men on it. Another portion passed through the opening and swung round inside. Thesteering oar was wrenched from Jack's hands, and struck the captain intothe water. As if by instinct, Jack sprang to the "bower, " caught Pollyin his arms, and leaped into the sea. At the same moment Wilkins ran tothe rescue of his friend Ben. These two were on the part that had swunground to the calm side of the reef, and Watty waded to it with Ben onhis back. The captain and all the rest were washed in a cataract offoam and wreckage through the opening into the lagoon, and pitched bycurling eddies on the shore. In a few minutes they all stood in safety, panting, but uninjured, on the white sands of the coral reef. 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

THE CORAL ISLAND--PROCEEDINGS THEREIN. 

The island on which the raft with its occupants had been cast was ofsmall size, not more than six miles in extent, and lay low in the water. Nevertheless it was covered with luxuriant vegetation, among which wereseveral groves of cocoa-nut palms, the long feathery branches of whichwaved gracefully in a gentle breeze, as if beckoning an invitation tothe castaways on the reef to cross the lagoon and find shelter there. But crossing the lagoon was not an easy matter. 

"Shure it's a mile wide if it's a futt, " said one of the men as theystood in a group on the reef, dripping and gazing at the isle. 

"No, Simon O'Rook, " said Bob Corkey, in that flat contradictions way towhich some men are prone; "no, it's only half a mile if it's an inch. "

"You're wrong, both of you, " said Baldwin Burr, "it ain't more thanquarter of a mile. Quite an easy swim for any of us. "

"Except my Polly, " observed the captain quietly. 

"Ay, and those who are too weak to swim, " said Watty Wilkins, with aglance at his friend Ben, who had lain down on the sand and listenedwith a calm untroubled look to the conversation. 

"You don't seem at all anxious, " whispered Polly to Ben. 

"No, Polly, I'm not. I have lately been taught how to trust in God byyour example. "

"By mine!" exclaimed the child in extreme surprise. 

Before Ben could reply the captain turned and called to Polly. 

"Come here, my duckey; Edwin Jack offers to swim over the lagoon to theisland with you on his back. Will you trust yourself to him?"

"Yes, father, " answered the child promptly. 

"But maybe there are sharks, " suggested O'Rook. 

There was a momentary silence. In the excitement of the occasion everyone had forgotten sharks. What was to be done? The raft was utterlydestroyed. Only a few of the logs which had formed it lay on the reef;the rest were floating on the lagoon at various distances, none nearerthan fifty yards. 

"There's nothing for it, then, but to reconstruct our raft, " said thecaptain, throwing off his coat and shoes; "so these logs must besecured. "

He had only taken two steps towards the water when Philosopher Jackgrasped his arm. 

"Stop, sir, it is your duty to look after Polly. Now lads, those whocan swim come along!"

Another instant and he was in the sea, regardless of sharks, andstriking out for the floating wreckage, closely followed by O'Rook, Corkey, Burr, and Watty Wilkins. Strange to say, eight other men of thecrew could not swim, although they had managed somehow to scramble onthe reef. Whether it was that the sharks were not there at the time, orthat the number and energy of the swimmers frightened them, we cannottell, but each man reached a log or plank in safety, and began pushingit towards the reef. It was when they drew near to this that the trialof their courage was most severe. The excitement and gush of daringwith which they had plunged in was by that time expended, and the slowmotion of the logs gave them time for reflection. O'Rook's lively fancytroubled him much. 

"If the baists would only attack a man in front, " he muttered, "it'slittle I'd mind 'em, but to come up behind, sneakin' like--hooroo!"

At that moment a branch of coral, which projected rather far from thebottom, touched O'Rook's toe and drew from him an uncontrollable yell ofalarm. Baldwin Burr, who swam close behind, was humorously inclined aswell as cool. He pushed the plank he was guiding close to his comrade'sback, dipped the end of it, and thrust it down on O'Rook's legs. 

The effect was even more powerful than he had hoped for. 

"A shark!--a sha-a-a-rk!" howled O'Rook, and dived under the brokenmain-yard, which he was piloting ashore. Coming up on the other side, he tried to clamber on it, but it rolled round and dropped him. He wentdown with a gurgling cry. Again he rose, grasped the spar with his leftarm, glared wildly round, and clenched his right hand as if ready to hiton the nose any creature--fish, flesh, or fowl--that should assail him. 

"Take it easy, messmate, " said Burr in a quiet tone; "sorry I touchedyou. Hope it didn't hurt much. "

"Och! it was you, was it? Sure, I thought it was a shark; well, well, it's plaised I am to be let off so aisy. "

With this philosophic reflection O'Rook landed with his piece of timber. Enough of material was soon collected to form a raft sufficiently largeto ferry half of the party across the lagoon, and in two trips the wholewere landed in safety on the island. 

"You don't mean to tell me, Jack, " said Baldwin Burr, "that this islandwas made by coral insects?"

"Yes, I do!" said Jack. 

"From the top to the bottom?" asked Burr. 

"From the bottom to the top, " said Edwin. 

Baldwin asked this question of the philosopher during a pause in theirlabours. They were, at the time, engaged in constructing a new bowerfor Polly among the flowering shrubs under the cocoa-nut palms. Pollyherself was aiding them, and the rest of the party were scattered amongthe bushes, variously employed in breaking down branches, tearing uplong grass, and otherwise clearing ground for an encampment. 

"How could insects make an island?" asked Polly, sitting down on a bankto rest. 

"Don't you know, Poll?" said Edwin; "why, I thought your father taughtyou about almost everything. "

"Oh no, " replied Polly, with an innocent smile, "not everything yet, youknow, but I daresay he will in the course of time. Tell me about theinsects. "

"Well, let me see, how shall I begin?" said Jack, leaning against thebank, and crossing his arms on his breast. "The coral insects, Polly, are very small, some of them not larger than a pin's head. They aregreat builders. There is lime in sea-water. The insects, which arecalled corallines, have the power of attracting this lime to them;drawing it away from the water, so to speak, and fixing it round theirown bodies, which is called secreting the lime. Thus they form shells, or houses, to themselves, which they fix at the bottom of the sea. Having laid the basements of their houses close together, they proceedto add upper storeys, and thus they add storey to storey, until theyreach the surface of the sea. They work in such innumerable millionsthat, in course of time, they form reefs and islands, as you see. "

"But I _don't_ see!" said Polly, looking round; "at least, I don't seecorallines working. "

"Ah, good, " said Baldwin, with a nod of approval to the child, as if tosay, "You have him there!"

"True, " returned the philosopher, "because the corallines can only workunder water. The moment they reach the surface they die; but those thatremain continue their labours on the sides of the reef or island, andthus widen it. Then the waves break off masses of coral, and cast them, with drifting sea-weed and other things, up on the reef, which makes ithigher; then sea-birds come to rest on it. The winds carry seeds ofvarious plants to it, which take root, grow up, die; and thus thickenthe soil by slow degrees, till at last, after a long, long time, theisland becomes a pretty large and fertile one like this. "

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Polly; "what a clever insect!"

"Clever indeed, " returned Edwin; "especially when we consider that ithas got no brains. "

"No brains!" echoed Baldwin. 

"No, it has little more than a stomach. "

"Oh! come now, " remonstrated Baldwin; "we can't believe that, can we, Miss Polly? Even a house-builder must think, much more anisland-builder; and no fellow can think with his stomach, you know. "

"Nevertheless, it is as I tell you, " continued Jack, "and these littlecreatures manage to create hundreds of islands in the Southern Seas, bytheir perseverance, energy, and united action. Quite an example toman--eh, Baldwin?"

"Ha! just so--a long pull, and a strong pull, and a pull all together. I think we'd better act on the principles of these corry-lines, elseMiss Polly's bower won't be ready afore dark. "

So saying, the seaman and our philosopher resumed their work with suchunited energy--aided by Polly herself--that a very comfortablehabitation of boughs and large leaves was finished before the dayclosed. It resembled a large beehive, was overshadowed by dense foliageof a tropical kind, and carpeted with a species of fern. 

Polly was profuse in her thanks, and when it was finished, called to herfather to come and admire it. The stout mariner at once obeyed thesummons. He quitted the pile of firewood on which he had beenlabouring, and with a violently red face and perspiring brow, appearedon the scene, bearing a mighty axe on his shoulder. 

"Splendid!" he exclaimed, with beaming admiration. "It's fit for thequeen of the coral isles. "

"For whom it is intended!" said Philosopher Jack, quickly. 

Polly laughed, for she understood the compliment, but suddenly becamegrave, as she remembered Ben Trench, and said, "No, no; it must be usedas a shelter for Ben. "

"That's kind of you, Polly, " said Watty coming up with a huge bundle ofgrass and foliage for bedding at the moment; "but Ben has got friends toremember him as well as you. Bob Corkey and I have made him a hut onthe other side of the bushes--there, you may see the top of it throughthe leaves. "

"Does any one know where Mr Luke is?" asked the captain. 

None of those assembled at the bower had seen him for some hours, andCaptain Samson was on the point of organising a party to go in search ofhim, when one of the crew came in from the bush and said he had gone offwith Simon O'Rook to the highest point of the low islet, to ascertain ifpossible its extent. 

"He's all right if O'Rook is with him, " said the captain to Polly, inconfidence, when they went into the bower together; "but he's not to betrusted away by himself. I never saw a man more unfit to look afterhimself. "

"And yet he is a good, kind man, father, " said Polly. 

"True, quite true, Poll, " replied the captain, musingly. "I wonder whyit is that some men seem as if they had been meant for women; maybe itis by way of balancing those women who seem to have been meant for men!"

Polly listened to this with a look of grave consideration, but nothaving formed an opinion on the subject, wisely held her tongue. 

Meanwhile O'Rook led his companion towards the highest part of theislet, which, being clear of trees, seemed likely to afford them a goodoutlook. The sailor was a man of inquiring disposition, and, being of afree-and-easy nature, did not hesitate to speak out his mind on alloccasions. After walking beside his tall companion and eyeing his thinfigure and sad countenance in silence for some time, he said--

"You're a cadaverous sort o' man, Mr Luke. "

"Think so?" said Mr Luke, gently. 

"Of course; I can't help thinkin' so, because I see it, " returnedO'Rook. "Was it a fall, now, w'en you was a babby, that did it, ormeasles?"

"Neither, that I am aware of, " replied Mr Luke, with a good-naturedsmile; "my father before me was cadaverous. "

"Ah!" said O'Rook, with a look of sympathy, as he touched the region ofhis heart with his left thumb, "p'r'aps it was somethin' o' this sort, eh? I've bin through that myself in the ould country, where as purtya--well, well, it's all over now, but I've a fellow-feelin' for--"

"No, " interrupted Mr Luke, with a sigh, "it wasn't a disappointment, itwas--oh! what a splendid view!"

They had reached the top of the ridge at the moment, and the view of theverdant islet that burst upon them might well have called forthadmiration from men of coarser mould than they. 

O'Rook forgot for a few minutes the subject of his curiosity, andcompared the prospect to some of the beautiful scenery of Ireland, though there was no resemblance whatever between the two. He soonreturned, however, to the previous subject of conversation, but Mr Lukehad ceased to be communicative. 

"What is that lying on the beach there?" he said, pointing in thedirection referred to. 

"It's more than I can tell, " answered O'Rook; "looks like a boat, don'tit?"

"Very, " said Mr Luke, "and there is something lying beside it like aman. Come, let's go see. "

The two explorers went rapidly down the gentle slope that led to thebeach, and soon found that the object in question was indeed a boat, old, rotten, and blistered with the sun. Beside it lay the skeleton ofa man, with a few rags of the garments that had once formed its clothingstill clinging to it here and there. It was a pitiful sight. Evidentlythe unfortunate man had been cast away in an open boat, and had beenthrown on that beach when too much exhausted to make a last struggle forlife, for there was no sign of his having wandered from the boat or cutdown bushes, or attempted to make a fire. His strength had apparentlyenabled him to get out of the boat, that was all, and there he had laindown to die. 

For some time the two wanderers stood contemplating the sight insilence, and when at length they spoke it was in low, sad tones. 

"Poor, poor fellow, " said Mr Luke, "he must have been shipwrecked, likeourselves, and cast adrift in the boat. But I wonder that he is alone;one would expect that some of his comrades must have got into the boatalong with him. "

"No doubt, " said O'Rook, "they was all starved at sea and throw'doverboard. Come, Mr Luke, let's bury him; it's all we can do for himnow. "

Saying this, O'Rook threw off his jacket and, with his companion'sassistance, soon scraped a hole in the sand. Into this they were aboutto lift the skeleton, when they observed that its right hand covered adecayed remnant of rag, under which was seen a glittering substance. Itturned out to be the clasp of a notebook, which, however, was so decayedand glued together that it could not be opened. O'Rook thereforewrapped it in his handkerchief and put it in his pocket. Then theyburied the skeleton, and rolled a large mass of coral rock upon thegrave to mark the spot. 

A careful examination was next made of the old boat and the localityaround it, but nothing whatever was found to throw light on the fate ofthe vessel to which the man had belonged. 

Returning to the encampment, O'Rook and his companion found theirfriends busy preparing supper, which consisted of some provisions savedfrom the raft, and cocoa-nuts. 

In a few seconds the whole party was assembled in front of Polly'sbower, listening attentively, while O'Rook described the discovery ofthe skeleton to the captain, and produced the old notebook. Deep wasthe interest of every member of that little community as the captainattempted to open the book, and intense was the expression ofdisappointment on each countenance--especially on that of Polly--when, after a prolonged trial, he utterly failed. 

"Let Philosopher Jack try it, " exclaimed Watty Wilkins eagerly. 

The captain at once handed the book to Jack with a smile. 

"To be sure, " said he, "a philosopher ought to understand the managementof books better than a skipper; but when a book is glued hard and fastlike that, it may puzzle even a philosopher to master its contents. "

Jack made the attempt, however. He went to work with the calmdeliberation of a thorough workman. By the aid of heat and gentlefriction and a little moisture, and the judicious use of a penknife, hesucceeded at last in opening the book in one or two places. While hewas thus engaged, the rest of the party supped and speculated on theprobable contents of the book. 

"Here is a legible bit at last, " said Jack, "but the writing is veryfaint. Let me see. It refers to the state of the weather and the wind. The poor man evidently kept a private journal. Ah! here, in the middleof the book, the damp has not had so much effect. "

As he turned and separated the leaves with great care, Jack's audiencegazed at him intently and forgot supper. At last he began to read:--

 "`_Saturday, 4th_. --Have been three weeks now on short allowance. We are all getting perceptibly weaker. The captain, who is not a strong man, is sinking. The boat is overcrowded. If a gale should spring up we shall all perish. I don't like the looks of two of the men. They are powerful fellows, and the captain and I believe them to be quite capable of murdering the most of us, and throwing us overboard to save their own lives. '

"Here there is a blank, " said Jack, "and the next date is the 8th, butthere is no month or year given. The writing continues:--

 "`I scarce know what has passed during the last few days. It is like a horrible dream. The two men made the attempt, and killed big George, whom they feared most, because of his courage and known fidelity to the captain; but, before they could do further mischief, the second mate shot them both. The boat floats lighter now, and, through God's mercy, the weather continues fine. Our last ration was served out this morning--two ounces of biscuit each, and a wine-glass of water. _Sunday, 11th_. --Two days without food. The captain read to us to-day some chapters out of the Bible, those describing the crucifixion of Jesus. Williams and Ranger were deeply impressed, and for the first time seemed to lament their sins, and to speak of themselves as crucifiers of Jesus. The captain's voice very weak, but he is cheerful and resigned. It is evident that _his_ trust is in the Lord. He exhorts us frequently. We feel the want of water more than food. _Wednesday_. --The captain and Williams died yesterday. Ranger drank sea water in desperation. He went mad soon after, and jumped overboard. We tried to save him, but failed. Only three of us are left. If we don't meet with a ship, or sight an island, it will soon be all over with us. _Thursday_. --I am alone now. An island is in sight, but I can scarcely raise myself to look at it. I will bind this book to my hand. If any one finds me, let him send it to my beloved wife, Lucy. It will comfort her to know that my last thoughts on earth were of her dear self, and that my soul is resting on my Redeemer. I grow very cold and faint. May God's best blessing rest--'"

The voice of the reader stopped suddenly, and for some moments there wasa solemn silence, broken only by a sob from Polly Samson. 

"Why don't you go on?" asked the captain. 

"There is nothing more, " said Jack sadly. "His strength must havefailed him suddenly. It is unfortunate, for, as he has neither signedhis name nor given the address of his wife, it will not be possible tofulfil his wishes. "

"Maybe, " suggested O'Rook, "if you open some more o' the pages you'llfind a name somewheres. "

Jack searched as well as the condition of the book would admit of andfound at last the name of David Ban--, the latter part of the surnamebeing illegible. He also discovered a lump in one place, which, onbeing cut into, proved to be a lock of golden hair, in perfectpreservation. It was evidently that of a young person. 

"That's Lucy's hair, " said O'Rook promptly. "Blessin's on her poorheart! Give it me, Philosopher Jack, as well as the book. They bothbelong to me by rights, 'cause I found 'em; an' if ever I set futt inold England again, I'll hunt her up and give 'em to her. "

As no one disputed O'Rook's claim, the book and lock of hair were handedto him. 

Soon afterwards Polly lay down to rest in her new bower, and her father, with his men, made to themselves comfortable couches around her, underthe canopy of the luxuriant shrubs. 

A week passed. During that period Captain Samson, with Polly, Jack, andWilkins, walked over the island in all directions to ascertain its sizeand productions, while the crew of the _Lively Poll_ found fullemployment in erecting huts of boughs and broad leaves, and incollecting cocoa-nuts and a few other wild fruits and roots. 

Meanwhile the bottle thrown overboard by Watty Wilkins, with its"message from the sea, " began a long and slow but steady voyage. 

It may not, perhaps, be known to the reader that there are two mightycurrents in the ocean, which never cease to flow. The heated waters ofthe Equator flow north and south to get cooled at the Poles, and thenflow back again from the Poles to get reheated at the Equator. 

The form of continents, the effect of winds, the motion of the earth, and other influences, modify the flow of this great oceanic current andproduce a variety of streams. One of these streams, a warm one, passingup the coast of Africa, is driven into the Gulf of Mexico, from which itcrosses the Atlantic to the west coast of Britain, and is familiarlyknown as the Gulf Stream. If Watty Wilkins's bottle had been caught bythis stream, it would, perhaps, in the course of many months, have beenlanded on the west of Ireland. If it had been caught by any of theother streams, it might have ended its career on the coasts of Japan, Australia, or any of the many "ends of the earth. " But the bottle cameunder a more active influence than that of the ocean streams. It waspicked up, one calm day, by a British ship, and carried straight toEngland, where its contents were immediately put into the newspapers, and circulated throughout the land. 

The effect of little Wilkins's message from the sea on different mindswas various. By some it was read with interest and pathos, while othersglanced it over with total indifference. But there were a few on whomthe message fell like a thunderbolt, as we shall now proceed to show. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

TELLS OF PLOTTINGS AND TRIALS AT HOME, WITH DOINGS AND DANGERS ABROAD. 

In a dingy office, in a back street in one of the darkest quarters ofthe city, whose name we refrain from mentioning, an elderly man sat downone foggy morning, poked the fire, blew his nose, opened his newspaper, and began to read. This man was a part-owner of the _Lively Poll_. Hisname was Black. Black is a good wearing colour, and not a bad name, butit is not so suitable a term when applied to a man's character andsurroundings. We cannot indeed, say positively that Mr Black'scharacter was as black as his name, but we are safe in asserting that itwas very dirty grey in tone. Mr Black was essentially a dirty littleman. His hands and face were dirty, so dirty that his only clerk (adirty little boy) held the firm belief that the famous soap which issaid to wash black men white, could not cleanse his master. His officewas dirty, so were his garments, and so was his mean little spirit, which occupied itself exclusively in scraping together a paltry littleincome, by means of little ways known only to its owner. Mr Black hada soul, he admitted that; but he had no regard for it, and paid noattention to it whatever. Into whatever corner of his being it had beenthrust, he had so covered it over and buried it under heaps of rubbishthat it was quite lost to sight and almost to memory. He had aconscience also, but had managed to sear it to such an extent thatalthough still alive, it had almost ceased to feel. 

Turning to the shipping news, Mr Black's eye was arrested by a messagefrom the sea. He read it, and, as he did so, his hands closed on thenewspaper convulsively; his eyes opened, so did his mouth, and his facegrew deadly pale--that is to say, it became a light greenish grey. 

"Anything wrong, sir?" asked the dirty clerk. 

"The _Lively Poll_, " gasped Mr Black, "is at the bottom of the sea!"

"She's in a lively position, then, " thought the dirty clerk, who caredno more for the _Lively Poll_ than he did for her part-owner; but heonly replied, "O dear!" with a solemn look of hypocritical sympathy. 

Mr Black seized his hat, rushed out of his office, and paid a suddenvisit to his neighbour, Mr Walter Wilkins, senior. That gentleman wasin the act of running his eye over his newspaper. He was a wealthymerchant. Turning on his visitor a bland, kindly countenance, he badehim good-morning. 

"I do hope--excuse me, my dear sir, " said Mr Black excitedly, "I dohope you will see your way to grant me the accommodation I ventured toask for yesterday. My business is in such a state that this disaster tothe _Lively Poll_--"

"The _Lively Poll_!" exclaimed Mr Wilkins, with a start. 

"Oh, I beg pardon, " said Mr Black, with a confused look, for his searedconscience became slightly sensitive at that moment. "I suppose youhave not yet seen it (he pointed to the paragraph); but, excuse me, Icannot understand how you came to know that your son was on board--pardon me--"

Mr Wilkins had laid his face in his hands, and groaned aloud, thenlooking up suddenly, said, "I did not certainly know that my dear boywas on board, but I had too good reason to suspect it, for he had beentalking much of the vessel, and disappeared on the day she sailed, andnow this message from--"

He rose hastily and put on his greatcoat. 

"Excuse me, my dear sir, " urged Mr Black; "at such a time it may seemselfish to press you on business affairs, but this is a matter of lifeand death to me--"

"It is a matter of death to _me_, " interrupted the other in a low tone, "but I grant your request. My clerk will arrange it with you. "

He left the office abruptly, with a bowed head, and Mr Black havingarranged matters to his satisfaction with the clerk, left it soon after, with a sigh of relief. He cared no more for Mr Wilkins's grief thandid the dirty clerk for his master's troubles. 

Returning to his dirty office, Mr Black then proceeded to do a strokeof very dingy business. 

That morning, through some mysterious agency, he had learned that therewere rumours of an unfavourable kind in reference to a certain bank inthe city, which, for convenience, we shall name the Blankow Bank. Now, it so happened that Mr Black was intimately acquainted with one of thedirectors of that bank, in whom, as well as in the bank itself, he hadthe most implicit confidence. Mr Black happened to have a femalerelative in the city named Mrs Niven--the same Mrs Niven who had beenlandlady to Philosopher Jack. It was one of the root-principles of MrBlack's business character that he should make hay while the sun shone. He knew that Mrs Niven owned stock in the Blankow Bank; he knew thatthe Bank paid its shareholders a very handsome dividend, and he wasaware that, owing to the unfavourable rumours then current, the value ofthe stock would fall very considerably. That, therefore, was the timefor knowing men like Mr Black, who believed in the soundness of thebank, to buy. Accordingly he wrote a letter to Mrs Niven, advising herto sell her shares, and offering to transact the business for her, buthe omitted to mention that he meant to buy them up himself. He added apostscript on the back, telling of the loss of the _Lively Poll_. 

Mrs Niven was a kind-hearted woman, as the reader knows; moreover, shewas a trusting soul. 

"Very kind o' Maister Black, " she observed to Peggy, hermaid-of-all-work, on reading the letter. "The Blankow Bank gi'es a highdividend, nae doot, but I'm well enough off, and hae nae need to risk mysiller for the sake o' a pund or twa mair income i' the year. Fetch methe ink, Peggy. "

A letter was quickly written, in which worthy Mrs Niven agreed to herrelative's proposal, and thanked him for the interest he took in heraffairs. Having despatched Peggy with it to the post, she re-read MrBlack's epistle, and in doing so observed the postscript, which, beingon the fourth page, had escaped her on the first perusal. 

"Hoots!" said she, "that's stipid. I didna notice the PS. " Reading ina low tone, and commenting parenthetically, she continued, "`By the way, did not one of your lodgers, a student, sail in the _Lively Poll_, (Atweel did he; he telt _me_, though he telt naebody else, an' gaedmuckle again' _my_ wull) as a common sailor?' (Common indeed! na, na, he was an uncommon sailor, if he was onything. ) `If so, you'll be sorryto learn that the _Lively Poll_ is lost, and all her crew and passengershave per--'"

Instead of reading "perished" poor Mrs Niven finished the sentence witha shriek, and fell flat on the floor, where she was found soon after, and with difficulty restored to consciousness by the horrified Peggy. 

That same morning, in his lowly cottage on the Scottish border, Mr JohnJack opened a newspaper at the breakfast-table. Besides Mrs Jack theresat at the table four olive branches--two daughters and two sons--theyoungest of whom, named Dobbin, was peculiarly noticeable as being up tothe eyes in treacle, Dobbin's chief earthly joy being "treacle pieces. "

Mr Jack's eye soon fell on the message from the sea. Of course he knewnothing of the writer, but recognised the name of the vessel as beingthat in which his son had sailed for the Southern Seas, for our hero hadwritten to tell of his departure, although he had not asked or waitedfor advice. Mr Jack was a man of strong nerve. Rising quietly fromthe table, he left the room, but his wife noticed the expression of hisface, and followed him into their bedroom. 

"What's wrang, John?"

The poor man turned abruptly, drew his wife to him, and pressed her headon his breast. 

"O Maggie!" he said, in a low husky voice, "`the Lord gave, and the Lordhath taken away, ' can you finish the sentence?"

"Ay, `blessed be the name o' the Lord, '" said Mrs Jack in a tremulousvoice; "but what--"

"Listen, " said her husband, and he read out the fatal message. 

"It canna be--oh! it canna be--that my Teddie is gone, " said thestricken mother, clasping her hands; "I canna, I winna believe it. Areye sure that was the ship's name?"

"Yes, too sure, " answered her husband. "I've mislaid the dear boy'sletter, but I'll go and see Mrs Niven. He mentioned it, I know, toher. "

There was yet another house in Scotland into which the message carriedprofound grief; namely, that of Bailie Trench. Need we say that thesupposed loss of an only son was a crushing blow, rendered all the moreterrible by the thought that death had been met so suddenly in a voyagewhich had been undertaken in search of health?

But we will spare the reader further details, and return once more tothe Coral Island, where we left the castaways making themselves ascomfortable as the nature of the place would admit of. 

And, truth to tell, there are many people in civilised lands much lesscomfortably situated than were these same castaways. 

The weather, as O'Rook said, "was splendacious, almost equal to that ofould Ireland. " Cocoa-nuts and other fruits were abundant. The lagoonswarmed with fish, including sharks, which rendered fishing anexcitingly dangerous, as well as enjoyable, pastime. Polly Samson foundgardens of coral and seaweed in crystal pools, which she could gaze atand admire for hours, though she could not walk in them. But she could, and did, sympathise with the little fish of varied size and colour whichdarted about in these water gardens, and Philosopher Jack found in theman inexhaustible theme for discourse to the teachable and inquisitiveBaldwin Burr. The captain found enough of employment in directing andplanning generally for the whole party. Cutting firewood, gatheringnuts and wild fruit, fell to the lot of Bob Corkey; and Simon O'Rookslid naturally into the office of cook. The remainder of the men wereemployed at various jobs, according to circumstances. 

Watty Wilkins was a passionate fisher. He divided his time between thelagoon and the couch of his sick friend Bell Trench, who soon began toimprove on rest, sunshine, and cocoa-nut milk. As for Mr Luke, beingfit for nothing, he was allowed to do very much what he pleased, exceptat meal times, when O'Rook made him wash the dishes, many of which weremerely flat stones. In short, the place was, according to Polly, a sortof paradise, and would have been almost perfect, but for a tendency inone or two of the men to quarrel, and a powerful disposition in BobCorkey and Simon O'Rook to argue. Though the arguing never quitedegenerated into quarrelling, and the quarrelsome men never absolutelycame to blows, their tendencies made this coral paradise imperfect. 

Two of the most troublesome men, named respectively Bounce and Badger, were cured by the captain in the following manner:--They had beenquarrelling verbally for half an hour one morning, calling each othernames, and threatening, as usual, to fight, but not doing so. 

"Come, lads, follow me, " said the captain to them sternly, and much totheir surprise. 

He led the way to a neighbouring grove, where he stopped. "Now, " saidhe, "this is a cool, shady spot. I want to know which of you two is thebest man. Come, go to work and fight it out. I'll see fair play. "

Bounce and Badger showed much unwillingness, whereupon the captainbuttoned his coat, turned up his wristbands, doubled his enormous fists, and declared that they would have to fight with him if they would notfight with each other. 

"But we don't want to fight, sir, " said Bounce, humbly, seeing that thecaptain was thoroughly in earnest. 

"Very well, then, shake hands, " said the captain, in a tone soperemptory that the men were fain to obey. 

"Now, go back to camp together, " said the captain, "and let us have nomore boasting--d'ee understand?"

They went off at once. After that there was less disagreement and nothreatening to fight among the men. 

One morning--it was a Sunday--the captain called the whole partytogether after breakfast, and announced the fact that he was going topreach them a sermon. 

"You see, my lads, " said he, "since you have agreed that I shallcontinue to be your captain on shore as well as at sea--to be thegovernor, in short, of this little colony--it is right that we shouldcome to a distinct understanding as to our new position, and be guidedby fixed laws. In time I will draw you up a code which I hope will beratified by yourselves, and will work well. To-day I mean to start bypreaching a sermon. I pr'pose to do so every Sunday, and to have familyprayers every morning. Is that agreed to?"

"Agreed, " said nearly every one. Bounce and Badger laughed, however, supposing that the captain was jesting. 

But he was very far from jesting. Taking no notice of the laughter, hecontinued, in an earnest, impressive manner, which enforced respectwhile he pointed towards the other side of the island--

"My lads, the skeleton that lies over yonder furnishes me with a text:`One is taken, and another left. ' That poor fellow was taken away fromthis life. You and I have been left behind. Assuredly we have beenleft for a good purpose, and the merciful God who has spared us meansthat we should henceforth live for His glory. My lads, you all knowwhat a blessed thing is a state of peace, and you also know what amiserable thing it is to be for ever quarrelling. Since we landed onthis island, we've had a little of both. I took in hand to stop thequarrelling the other day, in my own way. P'r'aps it wasn't altogethermy own way either, for I've read in the Bible of smiting a scorner, thatthe simple might take warning. However, be that as it may, that systemmay serve a turn; but it's not the straight road to come to a state ofpeace. If we are to live happily here, my lads, to avoid quarrelling, to honour our Maker, and to prove to each other--as well as to angelsand devils, who may be lookin' on for all that I know--that we stand ona higher level than the brutes, we must square our conduct by the rulesand laws laid down by the Prince of Peace, whose desire is that on earthmen should live together in peace and goodwill. I'll now read you someof these laws. "

Here the captain drew a small Bible from his pocket, and slowly read thefifth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, pausing at each verse, and commentingthereon, after his own peculiar fashion, to the surprise of all whoheard him; for although all knew the captain to be an upright man, theywere not prepared, by his usually stern look and brusque off-handmanner, for the tender spirit and depth of feeling which he nowdisplayed. 

"Now, my lads, " said he, shutting the book, "that's all I've got to sayto you to-day, but before closing, let me ask you to think like men--notlike children--about what we have been reading. The service of God isnot a mere matter of ceremonies. Jesus Christ came to save you and me, not so much from punishment, as from sin itself. It is a greatsalvation. Those of you who may have been swimming with the currentknow and care nothing about the power of sin. If you think you do, mylads, turn up stream. Try to resist sin, and you'll learn somethingnew. Only those who are made willing and strong by the Spirit of Godcan do it successfully. No doubt that remark will set adrift a lot o'thoughts and questions in your minds. To all of them I give you a shorttext as a good course to steer by: `Ask, and ye shall receive. ' Asklight and ask wisdom. 

"Now, cook, " continued the captain, turning to O'Rook, "go to work andget your dinner under weigh, for talking makes one hungry. Meanwhile, Iintend to go and have a short ramble on the sea-shore, and I want toknow if there is any small female on this island who wants to go withme. "

At this Polly jumped up with a laugh, put her little hand in that of herfather, and stood on tiptoe, with upturned face. The captain stooped, received a stiff nor'-wester, and the two went off together. 

The following night, as the party were seated round the fire finishingsupper, Watty Wilkins surprised his friends by rising, clearing histhroat, extending his right arm, after the manner of an orator, anddelivering himself of the following speech:--

"Lady and gentlemen, --I rise on the present occasion, with or withoutyour leave (`Order, ' from Ben Trench), to make a few pertinent remarks(`Impertinent, ' from Philosopher Jack) regarding our present strange andfelicitous circumstances. (Hear, hear. ) Our community is a republic--aglorious republic! Having constituted Captain Samson our governor, pastor, and lawgiver, it has occurred to me that we might, with greatadvantage to ourselves, institute a college of learning, and, withoutdelay, elect professors. As a stowaway, I would not have presumed tomake such a proposal, but, as a free and independent citizen of thisrepublic, I claim the right to be heard; and I now move that we proceedto elect a professor of natural philosophy, natural history, and anyother natural or unnatural science that any of us may happen to rememberor invent. (Hear, hear, and laughter. ) As a student is naturallyallied to a professor, and somewhat resembles him--the only differencebeing that the one knows mostly everything, and the other next tonothing--I further propose that we appoint to this professorshipPhilosopher Jack, with a salary of gratitude depending on merit, and theduty of lecturing to us every night after supper for our entertainment. "

Watty Wilkins sat down amid great applause, and Ben Trench seconded themotion, which was of course carried unanimously. 

Philosopher Jack at once accepted the professorship, and proceeded thenand there to deliver his inaugural address, in which he philosophised ofthings past, present, and to come, both seriously and humorously, in away that filled his favourite pupil, Baldwin Burr, with inexpressibledelight. 

When he had finished, Bob Corkey rose, and with an air of intensesolemnity said--

"Messmates, my lady, fathers, and brethren, --I begs to offer aobservation or two. It seems to me that a college with only oneprofessor ain't quite the thing for this great and enlightened republic. Seems to me; therefore, that we should appint a professor who couldspin yarns for our amusement, not to say edification. And, for thisend, I moves that we appint Simon O'Rook (great applause), whose giftsin the way o' story-tellin', or nat'ral lyin', so to speak, isunequalled by any nat'ral philosopher on the island. " (Hear, hear, andcheers, mingled with laughter. )

This motion was seconded by Bounce, and the appointment was gracefullyaccepted by O'Rook, who, however, declined taking office till thefollowing night as it was getting late, and he required time to composehis professional lies; but he ventured, as a free citizen of the "noo"republic, to move that the house should adjourn to bed. 

The idea thus jestingly introduced was so far carried into effect inearnest, that Philosopher Jack did, on many evenings thereafter, amuseand interest his comrades round the camp-fire, by relating many a talefrom history, both ancient and modern, with which his memory was wellstored. He also proved to himself, as well as to others, the greatvalue of even a small amount of scientific knowledge, by being able tocomment on the objects of surrounding nature in a way that invested themwith an interest which, to absolutely ignorant men, they could not havepossessed. 

O'Rook also fulfilled his engagements to some extent, being not onlyable, but willing, to spin long-winded yarns, which, when genuinematerial failed, he could invent with facility. 

Thus the time passed pleasantly enough for several weeks, and theshipwrecked crew succeeded in keeping up their spirits, despite theundercurrent of heavy anxiety with which they were oppressed, --as indeedthey could scarcely fail to be, when they reflected on the fact that theisland, on which they had been cast, lay far out of the ordinary trackof ships. This had been ascertained by the captain, who, it may beremembered, had taken his sextant from the ship, and who, the day beforethe destruction of the raft on the coral reef, had obtained a reliableobservation, and fixed their position. 

But this anxiety was deepened, and a darker gloom was cast over theparty, by an incident which happened soon afterwards. 

It has been said that Watty Wilkins was passionately fond of fishing. This business he prosecuted by means of a small raft, made from theremnants of the old one, which he pushed about with a long pole. Butthe raft was inconvenient; moreover, it had been more than once nearlyupset by a shark. Watty therefore resolved to make a small boat out ofthe remains of the old boat beside which the skeleton had been found. In this he was so ably assisted by his friends Jack and Ben, that theboat--which was a very small one--was launched in the course of twoweeks. A pair of light oars was also made, and in this boat the fishingwas prosecuted with redoubled vigour. Sometimes the three friends wentoff in company; more frequently little Wilkins went out alone. 

One day he pushed off by himself, and pulled to different parts of thelagoon, casting his line now and then with varying success. The dayhappened to be unusually calm and bright. When he passed the opening inthe reef, the surf appeared less violent than usual, so that he wastempted to pull though it. The breakers were passed in safety, and hesoon found himself with a sensation of great delight, floating on thegentle swell of the open sea. He pulled out for a considerabledistance, and then cast his lines. So intent was he on these, that hedid not observe the approach of a squall till it was almost upon him. Seizing the oars, he pulled towards the island, but he had drifted offshore a considerable distance. The wind, also, was against him. Hisefforts were vain. In short he was blown out to sea. 

The desperate anxiety of the poor boy was changed to despair when theisland gradually receded and finally disappeared. At first the littleboat was nearly swamped, but by clever management of the oars Wattysaved it. The squall was short-lived. Before long it again fell calm, and the sky cleared, but nothing was now to be seen save the unbrokencircle of the horizon. 

Who can tell the feelings of the poor youth when night descended on thesea? For hours he sat in the stern-sheets quite motionless, as ifstunned. [Note: see frontispiece. ] Rowing, he knew, would be of no use, as he might be pulling away from the island instead of towards it. Fastening his jacket to an oar, he set it up as a signal, and sat downhelpless and inactive, but his mind was busy as he gazed into the depthsof the moonlit sky. He thought of home, of the father whom he had sodeeply injured, of the prospects that he had unwittingly blighted, ofhis comrade Ben Trench, and his other friends on the Coral Island. Ashe continued to think, conscience rose up and condemned him sternly. Wilkins bowed his head to the condemnation, and admitted that it wasjust. 

"Oh!" he cried, in a passion of sudden remorse, "O God! spare me toreturn home and be a comfort to my father, --my dear, dear father!"

He put his face in his hands and wept bitterly. Sitting thus, overcomewith sorrow and fatigue, he gradually sank lower and lower, until heslid to the bottom of the boat, and lay at last with his head on thethwart, in profound slumber. He dreamed of home and forgiveness as hefloated there, the one solitary black spot on the dark breast of thesolemn sea. 

CHAPTER SIX. 

WATTY WILKINS IS TRIED, COMFORTED, RUN DOWN, RESCUED, AND RESTORED. 

When Watty Wilkins awoke from sleep, the sun was high in the heavens andthe sea smooth as a mirror. 

The poor boy raised himself on one elbow and looked about him, at firstwith a confused feeling of uncertainty as to where he was. Then thetruth burst upon him with overwhelming force. Not only was he alone ina little, half-decayed boat without sail, rudder, or compass, on thegreat Pacific Ocean, but, with the exception of a few fish, he waswithout food, and, worst of all, he had not a drop of fresh water. 

What was to be done? An unspoken prayer ascended from his heart to God, as he rose and seized the oars. A belief that it was needful to actvigorously and at once was strong upon him. For several minutes herelieved his feelings by rowing with all his might. Then he stoppedabruptly, and his spirit sank almost in despair as he exclaimed aloud--

"What's the use? I don't know where the island is. I may only bepulling farther away from it. Oh! what shall I do?"

At that moment of extreme depression, the value of having had aGod-fearing father who had taught him the Bible was unexpectedlyrealised, for there flashed into his mind, as if in reply to hisquestion, the words, "Call upon me in the time of trouble; I willdeliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. "

He pulled in the oars at once, fell on his knees, and, clasping hishands, prayed fervently. Watty had been taught a form of prayer inchildhood, and had often used it with little or no regard to itsmeaning. Now, in his distress, he prayed in earnest. He meant what hesaid. It followed, also, that he said what he meant. The old form, being quite unsuitable to the occasion, was forgotten, and very homelylanguage indeed was used, but it was sufficient for the purpose. Thesubstance of it was a cry for pardon and deliverance. That which wingedit to the Throne of Grace was the name of Jesus Christ. 

Resuming the oars, he rowed gently; not for the sake of directing theboat, but because a state of inaction was disagreeable, and as he rowedhe thought of the promise that had been sent to him. Strange to say, the latter part of it, "Thou shalt glorify me, " seemed to take astronger hold of his mind than the first. "Yes, " he thought, "the wholepromise is true. He will deliver me and make me to glorify Himself insome way or other. Perhaps He will let me live to return home, and be acomfort to my father. "

The thought of the sorrow he had caused his father weighed heavier thanever in the poor boy's mind, and the desire to express his repentance, and, if possible, make his father glad again, became very intense. Itseemed to him that a millstone would be removed from his heart if hecould be allowed, even for one minute, to hold his father's hand andsay, "Oh, I am so sorry, sorry, sorry that I ran away!" The millstonewas not removed at that time, however; but in answer to prayer it wasunquestionably lightened. 

The exercise of rowing and the fresh morning air produced their naturaleffect ere long on the little castaway. He became ravenously hungry, and turned his eyes inquiringly on the few fish which surged about inthe pool of dirty water that had gathered in the bottom of the boat. Itwas not an inviting breakfast. Watty turned his eyes away from it, looked up into the fair blue sky, and tried to think of other things!But the calls of nature were not to be silenced. Instead of thinking ofother things, he somehow thought of bread and butter. He even fell intoa species of argument with himself as to whether it would not beuncommonly pleasant in various supposable circumstances, to eat breadwithout butter. Then he found himself meditating on the delights ofbutter and jam together, which somehow suggested the scriptural figureof a land flowing with milk and honey. 

"Oh!" he sighed at this point, "if the sea was only milk and honey--milkeven without honey!--what a glorious prospect!"

He looked at it as if he half thought it would be transformed under thepower of his intense wish. Then he looked again at the floating fishand shuddered. Well might he shudder, for they were contemptible littlefish, most of them, with unnaturally large heads, and great staringeyes, as if they had failed, even in death, to get rid of their surpriseat being caught. With their mouths opened to the uttermost, they seemedto wish to shout, but couldn't. 

"I may as well take them out of the dirty water anyhow, " he muttered, suiting the action to the word, and spreading the fish on the thwart infront of him. Liking their appearance still less in that position, heput them on the thwart behind him, and tried to forget them. Impossible! He might as well have tried to forget his own existence. At last, after holding out as long as possible, the poor boy made up hismind to eat a little. Then he thought, "If I could only cook them; oh!for only one small lump of live coal from the camp fire on--"

The thought was checked abruptly, for he suddenly remembered that he hada burning-glass in his trousers pocket. He might perhaps be able toroast them with that--in a somewhat underdone fashion, no doubt--still, any sort of cooking would be better than none!

It need scarcely be said that the attempt failed. The only results werea burnt spot or two and a faint odour that served to intensify hishunger. At last he bit a mouthful out of the back of one of the fish, chewed it viciously, swallowed it in a hurry, and felt very sick. Theice was broken, however, and he got on better than he had expected. Butwhen hunger was appeased, there came gradually upon him the far lessendurable condition of thirst. He really felt as if he should choke, and once or twice he dipped his baling-dish over the side, butrestrained himself on remembering the journal of the skeleton, whereinit was recorded that one of the men had gone mad after drinking saltwater. 

Towards the afternoon hope was revived in his breast by the appearanceof clouds indicating rain. It came at last, in a soft gentle shower--far too gentle, indeed, for it could not be collected. What droppedupon the wooden baling-dish seemed to sink into or evaporate off it. The few drops that fell upon his patiently protruded tongue served onlyto tantalise him. But Watty was not prone to give way to despair; atleast, not to remain in that condition. He took off his jacket, spreadit out so as to form a basin, and eagerly watched the result. Alas! thecloth was too soft. It acted like a sponge, into which the rain-dropsdisappeared. 

When it became evident that the coat was a failure--refusing even topart with a single drop when wrung, --Watty chanced to cast down hiseyes, and they naturally fell on his trousers. They were stiff canvastrousers, and very greasy from much service among the dishes. Instantlyhe had them off, and spread out as the coat had been. Joyinexpressible--they held water! To convert the body of them into a lakeand the legs into two water-courses was not difficult for one whoseingenuity was beyond the average. But oh! the lake basin was slow togather the precious drops! He caused the two legs to debouch into thebaling-dish, and watched eagerly for half an hour, at the end of whichperiod about a wineglassful was collected. He sucked it in, to the lastdrop, and waited for more. It seemed as if the very sky sympathisedwith the boy's distress, for soon afterwards the rain increased, then itpoured, and finally, Watty Wilkins was more than satisfied, he wasdrenched. Fortunately the downpour was short-lived. It ceasedsuddenly; the clouds broke up, and the evening sun came out in fullsplendour, enabling him to partially dry his garments. 

In the Southern Seas at that time, the weather was particularly warm, sothat our castaway felt no inconvenience from his ducking, and spent thesecond night in comparative comfort, his dreams--if he had any--beinguntroubled with visions of food or drink. Once, indeed, he awoke, and, looking up, recalled so vividly the fate of the man who had been castalone and dying on the Coral Island, that he became deeply depressed bythe thought of meeting a similar fate; but the text of the previous dayagain recurred to him. Clinging to it, he again fell asleep, and didnot wake till morning. 

Looking over the side, he saw what sent a gush of hope and joy to hisheart. A ship, under full sail, not half a mile off! He rubbed hiseyes and looked again. Was he dreaming? Could it be?

He sprang up with a cry of delight and gave vent to a long, loud cheer, as much to relieve his feelings as to attract attention. It was almosttoo good to be true, he thought. Then a voice within whispered, "Didyou not ask for deliverance?" and the boy mentally responded, "Yes, thank God, I did. "

While he was thinking, his hands were busy refastening his jacket (whichhe had taken down to sleep in) by a sleeve to its former place at theend of an oar. But there was no occasion to signal. The vessel, abarque, was running straight towards him before a light breeze underfull sail--as Baldwin Burr would have said, with "stuns'ls slow andaloft. " Believing that he had been observed, he ceased waving his flagof distress. 

But soon a new idea sent a thrill through his heart. No sign ofrecognition was made to him as the ship drew near. Evidently thelook-out was careless. 

Leaping up, Watty seized the oar, waved his flag frantically, and yelledout his alarm. Still the ship bore majestically down on him, her hugebow bulking larger and higher as she drew near. Again Watty yelled, loud and long, and waved his flag furiously. The ship was close uponhim--seemed almost towering over him. He saw a sailor appear lazily atthe bow with his hands in his pockets. He saw the eyes of that seamansuddenly display their whites, and his hands, with the ten fingersextended, fly upwards. He heard a tremendous "Starboard ha-a-a-rd!"followed by a terrific "Starboard it is!" Then there was a crashing ofrotten wood, a fearful rushing of water in his ears, a bursting desireto breathe, and a dreadful thrusting downwards into a dark abyss. Evenin that moment of extremity the text of the morning flashed through hiswhirling brain--then all was still. 

When Watty's mind resumed its office, its owner found himself in acomfortable berth between warm blankets with a hot bottle at his feet, and the taste of hot brandy-and-water in his mouth. A man with a roughhairy visage was gazing earnestly into his face. 

"Wall, youngster, I guess, " said the man, "that you'd pretty nighslipped your cable. "

Watty felt thankful that he had not quite slipped his cable, and saidso. 

"You went over me, I think, " he added. 

"Over you! Yes, I just think we did. You went down at the bows--Isee'd you myself--and came up at the starn. The cap'n, he see'd youcome up, an' said you bounced out o' the water like the cork of asoda-water bottle. But here he comes himself. He told me I wasn't tospeak much to you. "

The captain, who was an American, with a sharp-featured and firm butkindly countenance, entered the berth at the moment. 

"Well, my boy, glad to see you revived. You had a narrow escape. Wouldn't have been so if it hadn't chanced that one of our worst men wasthe look-out--or rather wasn't the look-out. However, you're all rightnow. Your ship went down, I expect, not long since?"

"About three or four months ago, " answered Watty. 

"Come, boy, your mind hasn't got quite on the balance yet. It ain'tpossible that you could be as fat as a young pig after bein' three orfour months at sea in an open boat. What was the name of your ship?"

"The _Lively Poll_. "

"What! a Scotch ship?"

"Yes; part owned and commanded by Captain Samson. "

"_I_ know him; met him once in Glasgow. A big, rough-bearded, heartyfellow--six foot two or thereabouts. Didn't go down with his ship, didhe?" asked the captain with a look of anxiety. 

"No, " replied Watty with increasing interest in the American; "weescaped on a raft to an island, off which I was blown, while alone in myboat only two days ago. "

"Only two days ago, boy!" echoed the captain, starting up; "d'you happento know the direction of that island?"

Watty did not know, of course, having had no compass in his boat; but hefortunately remembered what Captain Samson had said when he hadascertained the latitude and longitude of it. 

"Mr Barnes, " shouted the captain to the first mate, who stood on decknear the open skylight, "how's her head?"

"Sou'-sou'-west, sir. "

"Put her about and lay your course west and by north. Now, " said thecaptain, turning again to Watty, with a look of satisfaction, "we'llsoon rescue Captain Samson and his crew. I'm sorry I won't be able totake you all back to England, because we are bound for San Francisco, but a trip to California is preferable to life on a coral island. Now, boy, I've talked enough to you. The steward will bring you some dinner. If you feel disposed, you may get up after that. Here are dry clothesfor you. We ripped up your own to save time after hauling you out ofthe sea. "

It was not usual for the gentle Polly Samson to alarm the camp with ashriek that would have done credit to a mad cockatoo, nevertheless, shedid commit this outrage on the feelings of her companions on theafternoon of the day on which Watty was run down and rescued. 

Her father and all the others were seated around the camp fire among thebushes at the time. Polly had left them, intending to pay a visit toone of her beautiful water-gardens on the beach, and had just emergedfrom the bushes and cast her eyes upon the sea, when she beheld thesight that drew from her the shriek referred to. She gave it forth inan ascending scale. 

"Oh! Oh!! Oh!!! father! come here! quick! quick! oh!"

Never since he was a boy had the captain jumped so sharply from asitting posture to his legs. Every man followed suit like aJack-in-the-box. There was a rush as if of a tempest through thebushes, and next moment the whole party burst upon the scene, to findPolly--not as they had feared in some deadly peril, but--with flashingeyes and glowing cheeks waving her arms like a windmill, and shriekingwith joy at a ship which was making straight for the island under fullsail. 

The captain greeted the sight with a bass roar, Philosopher Jack with astentorian shout. Ben Trench did his best to follow Jack's example. Simon O'Rook uttered an Irish howl, threw his cap into the air, andforthwith began an impromptu hornpipe, in which he was joined by BobCorkey. Baldwin Burr and his comrades vented their feelings inprolonged British cheers, and Mr Luke, uttering a squeak like a woundedrabbit, went about wanting to embrace everybody, but nobody would lethim. In short every one went more or less mad with joy at this suddenrealisation of "hope long deferred. " Only then did they become fullyaware of the depth of anxiety which had oppressed them at the thought ofbeing left, perhaps for years, it might be to the end of their days, onthat unknown island. 

As the vessel approached, it became apparent that there was some one onboard whose temporary insanity was as demonstrative as their own, sowild were his gesticulations. 

"It's too fur off, " said Baldwin, "to make out the crittur's phisog; butif it warn't for his size, I'd say he was a monkey. "

"P'r'aps it's an ourang-outang, " suggested Corkey. 

"Or a gorilla, " said O'Rook. 

"Oh!" exclaimed Polly, in a low, eager voice of surprise, "I do believeit is Watty Wilkins!"

"Polly is right, " said Philosopher Jack; "I'd know Watty's action amonga thousand. "

As he spoke, the vessel rounded-to outside the reef, backed hertop-sails, and lowered a boat. At the same time the excited figuredisappeared from her bow, and reappeared, wilder than ever, in the sternof the boat. As it crossed the lagoon, the voice of Watty becameaudible, and was responded to by a succession of hearty cheers, in themidst of which the boat was run ashore. The excited lad sprang on thebeach, and was almost annihilated by the species of miscellaneousembracing that he immediately underwent. 

Need we say that Captain Samson and his men were only too thankful tohave such an opportunity of deliverance? They at once accepted theoffer of the American captain, embarked in his ship the followingmorning, passed Cape Horn not long after, sailed up the coast of SouthAmerica, and, in course of time, cast anchor in the renowned harbour ofSan Francisco. 

At the time of which we write, the excitement about the gold-fields ofCalifornia was at its highest pitch. Men were flocking to that regionfrom all parts of the earth. Fortunes were being made by some in a fewmonths, and lost by others, at the gaming-tables, in a few days, or evenhours. While a few gained a competence, many gained only a baresubsistence; thousands lost their health, and not a few their lives. Itwas a strange play that men enacted there, embracing all the confusion, glitter, rapid change of scene, burlesque, and comedy of a pantomime, with many a dash of darkest tragedy intermingled. Tents were pitched inall directions, houses were hastily run up, restaurants of all kindswere opened, boats were turned keel up and converted into cottages, while ships were stranded or lying idle at their anchors for want ofcrews, who had made off to that mighty centre of attraction, thediggings. 

Arrived at San Francisco, Captain Samson and his crew were landed onefine morning at an early hour, and went up to a modest-looking hotel, without any definite idea as to what was best to be done in theirpeculiar circumstances. Feeling a strange sensation of helplessness inthe midst of so much turmoil and human energy, after their quiet sojournon the Coral Island, they kept together like a flock of sheep, andwandered about the town. Then they returned to their hotel and hadluncheon, for which so large a sum was demanded, that they resolved toreturn on board at once, and ask the American captain's advice. 

They found their deliverer pacing his quarterdeck, with his hands in hispockets, and a stern frown on his countenance. He was quite alone, andthe vessel wore an unusually quiet air. 

"Nothing wrong, I hope, " said Captain Samson, as he stepped over thegangway. 

"Everything wrong, " replied the American; "crew skedaddled. "

"What! bolted?"

"Ay, every man, to the diggin's. "

"What will you do?" asked Captain Samson, in a sympathetic tone. 

"Sell off the ship and cargo for what they'll fetch, and go to thediggin's too, " replied the other. "Moreover, I'd strongly recommend youto do the same. "

"What say you to that advice, Philosopher Jack?" asked Captain Samson, turning to our hero, with a peculiar smile. 

"I say, " answered the philosopher, returning the smile, "that the advicerequires consideration. "

"Cautiously replied; and what says my Polly?" continued the captain. 

"I say whatever you say, father. "

"Ah! Poll, Poll, that sort of answer don't help one much. However, we'll call a council of war, and discuss the matter seriously; but, first of all, let's see how the wind blows. How do _you_ feel inclined, Ben Trench? Bein' the invalid of our party, so to speak, you'reentitled, I think, to speak first. "

"I say, Go, " replied Ben. 

"And I say ditto, " burst from Watty Wilkins with powerful emphasis. 

"You wasn't axed yet, " observed Bob Corkey. "Besides, stowaways have noright to speak at all. "

"What says Mr Luke!" continued the captain. 

"Don't go, " answered Mr Luke feebly. 

"Now, lads, " said the captain, after putting the question to the others, "we'll go in for the pros and cons. "

They went in for the pros and cons accordingly, and after an animateddebate, resolved that the path of duty, as well as that of interest andpropriety, lay in the direction of the diggings. 

Having settled the matter, and gathered together into a common fund thesmall amount of cash and property which each had saved from the wreck, they went ashore, purchased the articles necessary for their expedition, and followed the great stream of Californian gold-diggers. 

We shall join them, but let not the reader suppose that we intend tobore him or her with the statistics and details of Californiangold-digging. It is our purpose only to touch lightly on those salientpoints in the adventures of our wanderers which had a more or lessdirect bearing on the great issues of their lives. 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

FAILURE. 

There are times, probably, in the life of all when everything seems togo against one, --when plans and efforts turn out ill, or go wrong, andprospects look utterly black and hopeless. Such a time fell uponPhilosopher Jack and his friends some months after their arrival at thegold-diggings. 

At first they were moderately successful, and at that time whatamazingly golden visions they did indulge!

"A carriage and pair, " soliloquised Watty Wilkins, one evening atsupper, while his eyes rested complacently on the proceeds of the day'slabour--a little heap of nuggets and gold-dust, which lay on a sheet ofpaper beside him; "a carriage and pair, a town house in London, acountry house near Bath or Tunbridge Wells, and a shooting-box in theScotch Highlands. Such is my reasonable ambition. "

"Not bad, " said Philosopher Jack, "if you throw in a salmon river nearthe shooting-box, and the right to wear the bonnet, plaid, and kilt atpleasure. "

"Not to mention bare legs an' rheumatiz, " remarked Simon O'Rook, who wasbusy with the frying-pan. "Sure, if the good Queen herself was to orderme to putt on such things, I'd take off me bonnet an' plaid in excusethat I'd be kilt entirely if she held me to it. All the same I'd obeyher, for I'm a loyal subject. "

"You're a bad cook, anyhow, " said Baldwin Burr, "to burn the bacon likethat. "

"Burn it!" retorted O'Rook with an air of annoyance, "man alive, how canI help it? It hasn't fat enough to slide in, much less to swim. It'smy belief that the pig as owned it was fed on mahogany-sawdust and steelfilin's. There, ait it, an' howld yer tongue. It's good enough for agoold-digger, anyhow. "

"In regard to that little bit of ambition o' your'n, " said Bob Corkey, as the party continued their meal, "seems to me, Watty, that you mightgo in for a carriage an' four, or six, when you're at it. "

"No, Corkey, no, " returned the other, "that would be imitating thefoibles of the great, which I scorn. What is _your_ particularambition, now, Mr Luke? What will you buy when you've dug up yourfortune?"

The cadaverous individual addressed, who had become thinner and morecadaverous than ever, looked up from his pewter plate, and, with asickly smile, replied that he would give all the gold in the mines topurchase peace of mind. 

This was received with a look of surprise, which was followed by a burstof laughter. 

"Why, you ain't an escaped convict, are you?" exclaimed Baldwin Burr. 

"No, I'm only an escaped man of business, escaped from the toils, andworries, and confinements of city life, " returned Mr Luke, with anothersickly smile, as he returned to his tough bacon. 

"Well, Mr Luke, if contrast brings any blessing with it, " said EdwinJack, "you ought to revive here, for you have splendid fresh countryair--by night as well as by day--a fine laborious occupation with pickand shovel, a healthy appetite, wet feet continually, mud up to theeyes, and gold to your heart's content. What more can you desire?"

"Nothing, " replied the cadaverous man with a sigh. 

The state of prosperity to which Jack referred did not last. Theirfirst "claim, " though rich, was soon worked out, and they were obligedto seek another. This turned out to be a poor one, yielding barelyenough of the precious metal to enable them to pay their way, everyarticle of clothing, tools, and food being excessively dear at themines. Nevertheless, they worked on in hope, but what was termed their"luck" became worse and worse every day, so that at last they wereobliged to run into debt. 

This was not difficult to do, for the principal store-keeper, Higgins byname, saw that they were respectable, trustworthy men, and felt prettysafe in giving them supplies on credit. One bad result of the debt thusincurred was that the whole tone and spirit of the party was lowered. 

"It's too bad, " growled Philosopher Jack one evening, as he strode intothe tent and flung down his tools; "got barely enough to keep the potboiling. "

"Better that than nothing, " remarked Watty Wilkins, who was in the actof taking off his wet boots. "_I_ haven't got as much dust as wouldgild the end of a bumbee's nose. Hope some of the others have been moresuccessful. None of them have come in yet except O'Rook, who is asunlucky as myself. He's off to the store for something for supper. "

Watty sat down before the fire which burned in front of the tent, andsadly toasted his toes. 

"I'll tell you what, " said Jack, sitting down beside him, "I fear wewere fools to come here. "

"Not so sure of that" returned Wilkins, with a dubious shake of thehead. "Every one, you know, cannot be lucky. Some succeed and somedon't. We are down just now, that's all. The wheel of fortune is goinground, and something will be sure to turn up soon. "

"Nothing will turn up unless we turn it up for ourselves, you may dependupon that" said Philosopher Jack. 

"The captain seemed to preach a different doctrine from that lastSunday, didn't he, when he remarked that God sometimes sends prosperityand riches to those who neither ask, work for, nor deserve them?"

"True, Watty, but these, he told us, were exceptional cases; the rulebeing, that those who labour with body or mind acquire possessions, while those who don't labour fall into poverty. The simple truth ofthat rule is partially veiled by the fact that thousands of laboriousmen labour unwisely, on the one hand, while, on the other hand, thousands of idle men live on the product of their forefathers' labours. Besides, didn't the captain also impress upon us that success is notsuccess when it leads to evil, and failure is not failure when itresults in good?"

"From all which, " retorted Watty, "you bring forward strong proof thatyour present growling at bad luck is most unphilosophic, youcross-grained philosopher. "

"Not at all, " returned Jack. "The captain's principles may, or may notbe correct. The mere statement of them does not prove that my ill luckjust now is going to result in good. But the worst of it is, thatduring the time of our good fortune, I had been hoarding up in order tobe able to send money to my poor father, and now it has all meltedaway. "

"I'm sorry for you, Jack, " said Watty, "but that is not the worst of itto my mind, bad though it be. What grieves me most is, that my dearfriend and chum, Ben Trench, is surely losing his health under thestrain of anxiety and hard work. You see, he is not gifted with thegutta-percha feelings and cast-iron frame of Philosopher Jack, neitherhas he the happy-go-lucky spirit and tough little corpus of WattyWilkins, so that it tells on him heavily--very heavily. "

Poor Watty said this half jestingly, yet with such a look of genuinefeeling that Jack forgot his own troubles for the moment. 

"Something _must_ be done, " he said, gazing with a concerned look at thefire. "Did you observe that man Conway last night up at the store?"

"Yes; what of him?"

"He staked largely at the gaming-table last night--and won. "

Little Wilkins glanced quickly in his friend's face. "Jack, " he said, with a look and tone of earnestness quite unusual to him, "we must notthink of _that_. Whatever straits we are reduced to, we must notgamble--I repeat, we _must_ not!"

"Why not, little man?" asked Jack, with an amused smile at what heconsidered an uncalled-for burst of seriousness. 

"Because it is dishonourable, " said Wilkins, promptly. 

"I don't see it to be so, " returned Jack. "If I am willing to stake mymoney on a chance of black or red turning up, and the banker is willingto take his chance, why should we not do it? the chances are equal; bothwilling to win or to lose, nothing dishonourable in that! Or, if I betwith you and you bet with me, we both agree to accept the consequences, having a right, of course, to do what we please with our own. "

"Now, Jack, " said Wilkins, "I'm not going to set up for a littlepreacher, or attempt to argue with a big philosopher, but I'll tell youwhat my father has impressed on me about this matter. One day, when wewere passing some ragged boys playing pitch-and-toss on the street, hesaid to me, `Watty, my boy, no man should gamble, because it isdishonourable. To want money that does not belong to you is greedy. Totry to get it from your neighbour without working for it is mean. Torisk your money in the hope of increasing it by trade, or other fairmeans, and so benefit yourself and others, is right; but to risk it fornothing, with the certainty of impoverishing some one else if you win, or injuring yourself if you lose, is foolish and unfeeling. The factthat some one else is willing to bet with you, only proves that you havemet with one as foolish and unfeeling as yourself, and the agreement oftwo unfeeling fools does not result in wisdom. You will hear it said, my boy, that a man has a right to do what he will with his own. That isnot true. As far as the world at large is concerned, it is, indeed, partially true, but a man may only do what God allows with what He haslent him. He is strictly accountable to God for the spending of everypenny. He is accountable, also, to his wife and his children, in acertain degree, ay, and to his tradesmen, if he owes them anything. Yes, Watty, gambling for money is dishonourable, believe me!' Now, Jack, I did, and I do believe him, from the bottom of my heart. "

What Jack would have replied we cannot tell, for the conversation wasinterrupted at that moment by the abrupt appearance of Captain Samson. He led Polly by the hand. The child had an unwonted expression ofsadness on her face. 

"Come into the tent. Now then, darling, " said the captain; "sit on myknee, and tell me all about it. Polly has seen something in her ramblesthat has made her cry, " he explained to Jack, Wilkins, and the rest ofthe party who chanced to come in while he was speaking. "Let us hearabout it. "

"Oh! it is _so_ sad, " said Polly, whimpering. "You know that good kindman Jacob Buckley, who lives up in Redman's Gap with his sick brotherDaniel, who is so fond of me; well, I went up to the Gap this afternoon, when I had done cleaning up, to sit with the sick brother for a little. I found him in great anxiety and very ill. He told me that Jacob, whohad always been such a good nurse to him, is much cast down by his badluck, and has taken to drink, and that he has lost or spent all hismoney, and can't get credit at the store. He went out quite drunk lastnight, and has not returned since. Of course poor Daniel has hadnothing to eat, for he can't leave his bed without help, and even if hecould, there isn't a morsel of food in the house. "

This story created much sympathy in the hearts of Polly's hearers. 

"Well now, messmates, what's to be done in this case?" asked CaptainSamson, looking round. 

"Make a c'lection, " said O'Rook. 

"Here you are, " said Watty, taking up his cap and dropping several smallnuggets into it as he handed it to Jack. 

The philosopher contributed a pretty large nugget, which, in his heart, he had intended to stake at the gaming-table. "Well, " said he, "we arereduced to low enough circumstances just now, but we are rich comparedwith poor Buckley. "

The entire party at that time numbered only nine, including Polly, Bounce, and Badger, the other members of the crew of the _Lively Poll_having separated soon after leaving San Francisco. But as all of themwere men of generous spirit, Watty's cap soon contained a verycreditable "c'lection, " which was made up forthwith into a bag, andcarried with some cooked provisions by Polly to Redman's Gap, under thesafe escort of her father and Baldwin Burr. 

The following evening, after supper, Philosopher Jack quietly put hislast bag of gold into his pocket and went off with it to Higgins' store. On the way up he entered into a debate with himself as to the rectitudeof gambling. He seemed to himself to be composed of two persons, one ofwhom condemned, while the other defended gambling. But Jack had astrong will of his own. He was not to be lightly turned from a purpose, either by the disputants within him or by the arguments of his friendWilkins. Being a good reasoner, our philosopher found that thecondemner of gambling within him was rapidly getting the best of theargument; he therefore brought the matter to a point by suddenlyexclaiming aloud, "Now, the question is, shall I do it?"

"Don't?" said his old, brusque, but faithful friend Conscience, with apromptitude that made him quite uncomfortable. 

"Or, " continued Jack slowly, "shall I go back and wait to see whetherthings will turn and mend?"

"Do!" answered his friend at once. 

If Jack had put more questions, he would have received clear andemphatic replies, but he merely said, "Pooh!" and when a man says"pooh!" to conscience, he is in a very bad way indeed. 

At Higgins' store gold-miners assembled to buy and sell, to talk anddrink and gamble. As the necessaries of life were procured there, miners of all sorts, from the steady to the disreputable, were to befound assembled at times, but it was chiefly the latter who "hung about"the place. No notice was taken of Jack as he mingled with the crowd, except by one or two acquaintances, who gave him a passing nod ofrecognition. 

At the bar there was assembled a boisterous group, who were laughingheartily at something. Jack joined it, and found a tall, half-tipsy manoffering to bet with another. When men are smitten with the gamblingspirit anything that affords a "chance" will serve their turn. 

"See here, now, " said the tall man, looking round, "I repeat, that I'llbet any man ten dollars--all I have in the world--that there's not anyfour of the men in this store can prevent my lifting this tumbler ofwater to my lips. "

He held out a tumbler in his right hand as he spoke, and straightenedhis long sinewy arm. 

Some of those present laughed, but one, a short, thick-set, powerfulfellow, said "Done!" at once, and stepped forward. 

"Well, stranger, " said the tall man, with a smile, "lay hold. You oughtto be strong enough to prevent me by yourself, but come on some more ofyou. "

Three strong fellows rose and laughingly grasped the man's arm, whileseveral of the lookers-on began to bet on the event. 

"Now, hold fast, " said the tall man, giving his arm a slight butvigorous shake, which had the effect of causing those who held it totighten their grip powerfully. 

"Oh! you're not strong enough, " he added; "come, another of you!"Hereupon a fifth man rose, and laid hold of the arm amid much laughter. 

At that moment a big, rough miner pushed his way through the crowd anddemanded to know "what was up. " On being told, he drew a bag from hispocket and exclaimed, "I'll bet you this bag of dust if you can matchit, that these five men will prevent you easily. They are strong enoughto hold Goliath himself, if he were here. "

"Sorry that I can't match your bag, stranger, " replied the tall man;"I'm only game for ten dollars, and that's already staked. "

"But _I_ can match it, " exclaimed Philosopher Jack, suddenly producinghis bag, which was much the same size as that of the big miner. 

"Now, then, hold fast, but don't break the bone if you can help it, "said the tall man, giving his arm another shake. 

The laugh with which this was received was changed into a roar ofdelight, when the tall man passed his left arm over the heads of thosewho held him, and with his left hand conveyed the tumbler to his lips. 

There was a good deal of disputation immediately, as to the justice ofpaying up bets on what was obviously a "sell, " but it was ruled that inthis case they had been fairly lost and won, so that the big minerturned his back on his bag of gold, and, with a deep curse, left thestore. 

Never before had Edwin Jack felt so thoroughly ashamed of himself aswhen he went forward and took up the two bags of gold. He did it, however, and, hurriedly quitting the store, returned to his tent. 

There was a small portion of the tent curtained off at the fartherextremity, as a chamber for Polly Samson. Jack was relieved, onarriving, to find that she had retired to it for the night. He was alsoglad to observe that all his tired companions were asleep, with theexception of O'Rook. That worthy was busy clearing up his pots and pansfor the night. 

"It's late you are to-night, " remarked O'Rook with a yawn. 

"Yes, I've been to the store, " said Jack; "hand me that candle; thanks. "

Turning his back on his comrade, he opened the bag which he had won, andlooked in. The first thing that met his astonished gaze was theidentical nugget which he had contributed the evening before to the sickminer at Redman's Gap. There was a name inside the bag. Holding itnear the candle, he read--"Buckley!"

"They must have been robbed!" he muttered to himself; then, rising, saidto O'Rook, "I've taken a fancy to go up to the Gap to see the Buckleys. Don't mistake me for a thief when I return. "

"No mistake at all if I did, " returned O'Rook, "for you're stealin' amarch on us all just now, an' isn't it robbin' yourself of your night'srest you are? ah! then, a wilful man must have his way; good luck gowith ye. "

Before the sentence and the yawn that followed it were finished, Jackwas on his way to the Gap. He found the elder Buckley seated on a logby his brother's couch, with his face buried in his hands. A glanceshowed him that the sick man was dying. Jacob looked up quickly. Hisface was haggard from the combined effects of dissipation, grief, andwatching. He seemed rather annoyed than pleased by Jack's visit. 

"I'm grieved to see Daniel so ill, " said Jack in a low voice, which, however, roused the attention of the invalid. 

"Dying, " said Jacob sternly, though in a voice that was scarcelyaudible. "What have you got there?" he added, almost fiercely, as heobserved, and at once recognised, the bag in his visitor's hand. 

"Your property, " answered Jack. "Have you not missed it? I conclude, of course, that it has been stolen from you, because it was gambled awayby a big rough fellow at Higgins' store this evening. "

A peculiar smile flitted for a moment across the rugged face of JacobBuckley as he said, "No, he didn't steal it. Not being able to leave mybrother myself, I sent him with it to the store, to try his luck. Itwas my last throw, contained all I had, includin' the dust and nuggetsyou and your comrades sent me last night. "

He said this in a hard, reckless, defiant manner, then looked suddenlyin Jack's eyes, and inquired with an expression of curiosity how he cameby the bag. 

"I won it, God forgive me, " said Jack, a deep flush of shameoverspreading his face, "and I now come to return what I had no right towin. "

A sound from the dying man attracted their attention at that moment. 

"He wants to speak to you, " said Jacob, who had stooped down to listen. 

Jack bent over the sick man, who said in a low whisper, with occasionalpauses for breath, for his strength was almost gone. 

"God bless you! You've saved his life. He said if he lost that goldthat he'd blow out his brains--and he'd have done it--he would; I knowJacob--he'd have done it. Read to me--the Word--the only true gold. "

Jack looked round. Jacob had sat down, and again covered his face withhis hands. 

"I have not my Bible with me, " said Jack, "but I can repeat passagesfrom memory. "

He began with the words, "They that trust in Him shall never be put toconfusion, " when the dying man roused himself, and with a strong effortwhispered, "O, sir, I _do_ trust in Him! Will you try to save mybrother from gambling and drink. Speak!--promise!"

"I will!" whispered Jack in his ear. 

The man's energy left him at once, and he fell back on the pillow, fromwhich he had partially risen, with a deep, prolonged sigh. Jacob heardit. Springing up, he fell on his knees by the bedside and seized hisbrother's hand. 

"O Dan! dear Dan, " he exclaimed, passionately, "don't give way likethat. You'll get well soon, an we'll cut this infernal placealtogether; we'll go home and work with the old folk. Dan, dear Dan!speak to me--"

He stopped abruptly, and rose with a stony stare of hopelessness, forDan's spirit had returned to God who gave it. 

Without a word Jacob set to work to lay out the body, and Jack quietlyassisted him. Having finished, the former put the recovered bag of goldin his pocket, stuck a revolver in his belt, and took up the door key ofthe hut. 

"Come, Jacob, " said Jack, purposely taking no notice of these actions, "you'll go home and spend the night with me. Dear Dan wants no tendingnow. We will return together, and see to his remains to-morrow. Come. "

Buckley looked undecided. 

"You haven't your flask, have you?" he asked eagerly. 

Jack felt in his pockets, and with something like joy found that hisflask was not there. "No, " said he, "I haven't got it. But come, Jacob, you want rest. I'll give you something better than spirits todrink when we reach the tent. Come. "

The man submitted. They went out and, locking the door, walked quicklyand silently away. 

Many and anxious were the thoughts that chased each other through thebusy brain of our hero during that dreary midnight walk. Before it wasended, he had almost resolved upon a plan of action, which was furthermatured while he prepared a can of strong hot coffee for poor JacobBuckley. 

"This is how the matter stands, " he said to Captain Samson next morning, during a private conversation, while Buckley and the others were atbreakfast in the tent. "I, who am not a teetotaller, and who last nightbecame a gambler, have pledged myself to do what I can to save JacobBuckley from drink and gaming. To attempt that _here_ would be useless. Well, we are at our lowest ebb just now. To continue working here isequally useless. I will therefore leave you for a time, take Buckleyand Wilkins with me, and go on a prospecting tour into the mountains. There it will be impossible to drink or gamble; time may cure Buckley, and perhaps we may find gold! Of course, " he added, with a sad smile, "if we do, we'll return and let you know. "

The captain approved of this plan. Jacob Buckley and Watty Wilkins atonce agreed to go, and immediately after Daniel's burial, theprospecters set out. The entire party, including Polly, convoyed themas far as Redman's Gap, where, wishing them good-speed, they partedcompany. Then the three adventurers passed through the Gap, and weresoon lost in the wild recesses of the mountain range. 

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

SUCCESS. 

For more than a month did the prospecting party wander among theCalifornian mountains in quest of gold, but found none--at least not inpaying quantities. 

At first the trip was to each of them full of romance, interest andhope. Even Buckley began to cheer up after a few days had passed. Thecraving for drink began to wear off, and grief for his lost brother--whom he had truly loved--began to abate. The wild scenery through whichthey passed was in itself sufficient to rouse to a high pitch theenthusiasm of such youths as Philosopher Jack and Watty Wilkins, whiletheir comrade, though not so impressionable in regard to the sublime andbeautiful, was roused to sympathy by their irresistible ardour. Thenecessity of hunting, too, in order to obtain food, added excitement ofa more stirring kind, and an occasional encounter with a grizzly bearintroduced a spice of danger to which none of them objected. Theirvarious washings of the soil and examination of river beds afforded asufficient quantity of gold to foster hope, though not to pay expenses. Thus they progressed through many a scene of loveliness, where the handof God had sown broadcast all the forms and hues of grace and beautywhich render this world attractive; they also passed through many asavage defile and mountain gorge--dark, gloomy, almost repulsive--whichserved to enhance their enjoyment of the beautiful by contrast. 

But as the time passed by they became accustomed to the life, andtherefore less appreciative. They failed, also, to find gold in largerquantities, and as the finding of gold was their highest aim, they wereproportionally disappointed and downcast. Watty, indeed, kept up hisspirits pretty well. He experienced the benefit of the change that hadtaken place in his soul that time when he was alone with God in thelittle boat upon the sea. He prayed in secret for light, and tried tobelieve that "all things work together for good to them that love God;"but his faith was weak, and the old heart of unbelief was still verystrong. 

As for Philosopher Jack, his spirit was still engaged in rebelliouswarfare. He growled a good deal at his "luck, " and was heartilyseconded by Buckley. In addition to this, Jack's spirit was muchtroubled by his promise to Daniel Buckley on his deathbed. He shrank, with a strength of feeling that surprised himself, from speaking toJacob about his infirmity, yet he felt the duty lying strong upon him, for he knew well that, if nothing was said, the man would certainly goback to his old habits on returning to the neighbourhood of the storewhere drink could be obtained. 

"Shall I break the ice at once?" thought Jack. "Perhaps it would bewell to wait till we know each other better. "

"Don't, " said the voice of his old laconic friend. 

But Jack did wait, and the longer he waited the more disinclined tospeak did he become. He held strongly, however, that a right promiseonce given should never be broken, and, under a feeling of desperation, said to himself one day, "Would it not be much better to end this matterby speaking without further delay?"

"Do, " said conscience, approvingly. 

And Jack did, then and there, the result being that Jacob Buckley didnot take it well, but told him flatly to mind his own business. Jackflushed crimson and clenched his fist; then the absurdity of attemptingto knock sobriety into a man struck him, and he laughed as he said--

"Well, Buckley, that is just what I am doing, for it _is_ my business toremonstrate with a comrade when I see him give way to a habit which willresult in his destruction if not abandoned. "

After this Buckley allowed him to talk a little on the subject, but Jackfelt the work to be very distasteful. Eventually he gave it up, consoling himself with the reflection that at all events he had broughtthe man away on an expedition where nothing stronger than cold water andhot tea was to be had for love or money. 

At last the tide turned. On the same day a piece of great good and badfortune befell our explorers. It happened thus:--

Watty Wilkins roused himself from a golden dream one morning, threw offhis blanket looked up at the bush which served him and his comrades as acanopy, and yawned. It was grey dawn. There was that clear sweet lightin the sky which gives sure promise of a fine day. Seeing that hiscompanions still slept, he drew from his breast a small Testament, reada few verses, and prayed. This had been his custom ever since hisdeliverance by the American ship. 

Soon after, Jack moved his bulky frame, rolled round, threw out hisarms, and yawned. The yawn awakened Buckley, who immediately followedsuit--such is the force of example!

"I'll tell you what it is, mates, " said the latter, sitting up, "thattwist I gave my leg yesterday troubles me a little. I shall remain incamp to-day and smoke. "

"Very good, " said Jack, rising and putting the kettle on the fire with aview to breakfast. "Watty and I will go up that valley and prospect. We will expect that you'll eat no more than your share of the provisionsduring our absence, and that you'll have supper ready for us when wereturn. "

The simple breakfast being disposed of and washed down with cans of hottea, the two friends shouldered their guns and set off up the gorge ornarrow mountain valley, near the mouth of which they had bivouacked. There was a belt of wood close to their camp; beyond that a small plain, after crossing which they entered a dense thicket, and began a toilsomemarch up the bed of a little mountain stream. The channel was nearlydry at the time, but the boulders, which were strewn about everywhere, showed that it was sometimes a formidable torrent. 

"A likely place for gold, " said Watty, with a hopeful look and tune. 

"We've tried many such likely places, " replied Jack, with a look andtone not quite so hopeful. 

For several miles they advanced, washing out a panful of dirt here andthere, and finding a little gold-dust as usual. Mid-day arrived, andthey sat down to a cold dinner, consisting of a few scraps of meat leftfrom breakfast. Little conversation was indulged in. They were toohungry for that--perhaps too much depressed by hope deferred. 

"I'll try the banks higher up, " said Jack, rising. 

"And I'll try the bed of the stream lower down, just by way ofopposition, " said Watty. 

They separated, and the latter soon found himself among the boulders, where he continued to search--actively at first, but more lazily as timepassed by. Presently he came to a wild spot where the stream wasoverhung by bushes. He turned over a small stone. Beneath it was ahole or "pocket". He stooped quickly, and pulled out a nugget of goldabout the size of a thimble. He stooped again, and, inserting his hand, pulled at something that would not come. His heart gave a jump andappeared to get into his throat, where it apparently remained, while theblood rushed to his forehead. Another pull, and out came a mass ofsolid gold, about the size of his own fist! A cheer rose to his lips, but he checked it. "P'r'aps there's more!" he said. Yes, the greedylittle wretch said that! But there was no more in that pocket. 

Quickly turning over several more stones, he found more pockets, withnuggets of various sizes in each. In a short time his specimen pouchwas pretty well lined with the precious metal. 

Meanwhile his friend Jack was equally successful, the chief differencebetween them being that the latter washed out the earth on the banksabove, and found his gold in little grains and specks, but in suchquantities that he felt as if his fortune were already made. Towardsevening Watty hallooed and was replied to. As they walked rapidlytowards the pre-arranged rendezvous, each hit on the same idea--that ofdeception!

"Well, what luck?" asked Watty with a careless air that ill concealedthe elation of his heart. 

"Only a little dust--nothing to speak of--at least not as compared withwhat some fellows get, " said Jack, whose laughing eye gave the liedirect to his melancholy tones. "See here, Watty, this is all I'vegot. "

As he spoke, the hypocrite poured the glittering contents of his pouchinto his tin wash-pan. 

"Well, _what_ a lucky fellow you are!" said Watty, with mouth expanded. "Just look here; this is all that I have got. "

He opened his bag and displayed the nuggets, with the big one in themidst!

Need we say that these youths found it difficult to express their joyand astonishment? The fact was evident that they had at last discoveredunusually rich ground, and they travelled back to the camp to tell theirlazy comrade the good news. 

It was near sunset when they reached the little plain or open space atthe mouth of the gorge. Here Jack turned aside to cut a stick ofpeculiar form, which had caught his eye on the way up, and which hemeant to keep as a souvenir of their discovery and the spot. Wattysauntered slowly across the plain. 

He had just reached the wood on the other side, and turned to wait forhis comrade, when he heard two shots in quick succession. There wasnothing unusual in this, but when he heard the Philosopher utter a loudcry, he started, cocked his gun, and ran a few steps back to meet him. Next moment Jack burst from the thicket and ran across the plain at aspeed that told of imminent danger. From the same thicket there alsorushed a large grizzly bear, whose speed was greater than that of Jack, though it did not appear to be so. 

All the blood in Watty Wilkins's body seemed to fly back to his heart, and immediately after it rushed to his brain and toes. Prompt action!no time to think! Life! death! Watty never afterwards could tellclearly what he felt or did on that tremendous occasion, but Jack couldtell what he did, for he saw him do it. 

Going down on one knee and resting his left arm on the other, in what isknown to volunteers as the Hythe position, the little youth calmlylevelled his double-barrelled gun. It was charged only with small shot, and he knew that that was useless at long range, therefore he restrainedhimself and waited. 

Jack and the bear ran straight towards him. 

"Up, Watty, up a tree, " gasped Jack; "it's no use--shot won't hurt him--quick!"

As he spoke he darted to the nearest tree, seized a large limb, andswung himself up among the branches. The bear passed under him, and, observing the kneeling figure in front, charged at once. When it waswithin three feet of him the youth let fly the contents of both barrelsinto the grizzly's mouth. So true was his aim that about six inches ofthe barrel followed the shot as the bear rushed upon it. This savedWatty, who was violently hurled aside by the stock of his own gun, whilethe bear went head-over-heels, vomiting blood and rage amid smoke anddust and scattered nuggets of gold!

"O Watty!" cried Jack, leaping down to the rescue with his drawnhunting-knife. 

But before Jack reached him, or the bear had time to recover himself, Watty was on his active legs, and sprang up a tree like a monkey. Jackcaught a branch of the same tree, and by sheer strength swung himselfup, but on this occasion with so little time to spare, that the bear, standing on its hind legs, touched his heel lovingly with its protrudedlips, as he drew himself out of reach. 

We need scarcely say it was with beating and thankful hearts that thetwo friends looked down from their perch of safety on the formidable andbloody foe who kept pawing at the foot of the tree and looking hungrilyup at them. 

"What a mercy that the grizzly can't climb!" panted Watty, who had notyet recovered breath. 

"But he can watch and keep us here all night, " said Jack, "and we haveno means of killing him. I fell and lost my gun in escaping, and yoursis doubled up. We're in for a night of it, my boy. Why didn't you dowhat I bade you, get up into the tree with your gun when you saw uscoming, and then we could have shot him at our leisure?"

"Why didn't you lend me your own cool head and clear brain, " retortedthe other, "and then we might have done something of the sort? Butsurely the shot I gave him must tell in the long-run. "

"Pooh!" said Jack, "it's not much more to him than an over-dose ofmustard would be to a cat. However, we've nothing for it but to wait. Perhaps Buckley may have heard our shots. "

In this conjecture Jack was right. The gold-miner was enjoying anunsocial cup of tea at the time, and fortunately heard the distant shotsand shouting. Buckley was a prompt man. Loading his double barrel withball as he ran, he suddenly made his appearance on the field, saw at aglance how matters stood, and, being a good shot, put two balls in thebear's carcass with deadly effect. Grizzly bears are, however, remarkably tenacious of life. This one at once turned on his new foe, who, getting behind a tree, re-loaded as quickly as possible. As theanimal passed he put two more balls in its heart and killed it. 

"Splendidly done!" cried Jack, leaping to the ground and shaking Buckleyby the hand, as he thanked him for his timely aid. Almost in the samebreath he told of their unexpected good fortune. 

"Now, then, " he added, "we'll cut off the claws of this fellow as atrophy, and then to camp and supper. "

"Stop a bit, not so fast, " said Wilkins, who had descended the tree andwas sitting on the ground with a most lugubrious countenance; "we mustgather up my nuggets before going. Besides, it strikes me there'ssomething wrong with my ankle. "

This was found to be too true. In scrambling into the tree Watty hadsprained his ankle badly, and in jumping down had made it so much worsethat he could not bear to put even his toe to the ground. He wascompelled, therefore, to accept the services of Jacob Buckley, whocarried him into camp on his back. 

Despite his sufferings poor Wilkins rejoiced that night with hiscomrades at their good fortune, and it was long before he or they couldcease to talk over future plans and take needful rest. At lengthBuckley rolled himself in his blanket, and lay down. 

"Poor fellow, " said Jack, seeing Watty wince a little, "does it hurtmuch?"

"Yes, rather, but I'll be all right to-morrow. Now, Jack, I'm going tosleep. Do me a favour before turning in. Just make a pile of mynuggets close to my pillow here, with the big one on the top. There, thanks. "

"What a covetous little wretch you are becoming!" said Jack with alaugh, as he lay down. "Have a care, Watty, that you don't become amiser. "

Watty made no reply, but in the night, when he thought his comrades wereasleep, he was overheard muttering in a low tone: "Yes, my dear old dad, you shall have them every one, big 'un as well; at least I'll send youevery rap that they will fetch. Not that you need it. You're richenough as it is, but this will show you, perhaps, that my first thoughtsafter my first luck were of you. "

A long sigh followed the remark. Looking up soon afterwards, Jack sawthat Watty was sound asleep, with the point of his nose reposing on thebig nugget. 

The poor lad's idea of a sprain was not quite correct. Instead of being"all right" next day, he found himself to be hopelessly lame, and wasunable to move from the camp for a couple of weeks. During that periodJack and Buckley went forth to the new diggings every morning, andreturned at night laden with gold, so that in a short time they hadgathered as much as they could conveniently carry. Then they resolvedto go for their comrades and return with them to continue their laboursat what they named Grizzly Bear Gulch. As Watty was still unable towalk without great pain, they made a sort of litter of a blanket betweentwo poles. In this contrivance they carried him, with their gold andtheir other belongings, back to the old diggings. 

But here, on arrival, they found a wonderfully altered state of affairs. 

"Immediately after you left, " said Captain Samson, over a cup of tea, while Polly, who presided, listened with sympathetic delight, "we boughta new claim or two, without much hope, however, of bettering ourcircumstances. One of these claims we bought for you, Jack, with partof the money you left in our charge, one for Buckley, and another forWilkins. Well, these claims all turned out splendidly, and we've beenmakin' our fortunes ever since! As you were off prospecting, as muchfor our benefit as your own, we agreed that it was the least we could doto work a little for you, so we gave your claims a rummage day about, and thus we've made your fortunes too, or part of 'em anyhow. We've binsendin' home bills of exchange too, and knowin' your wish to help yourfather, Jack, I took upon me to send a small sum to him with your love. I did right didn't I?"

"Right!" exclaimed Jack, seizing the captain's hand and squeezing it;"need you ask? I'm only sorry I didn't dig the gold out with my ownhand, and enclose the bill in my own letter. How much did you send?"

"Only 1000 pounds, " replied the captain. 

"Come, don't joke. I'm anxious to know, because he was very hard upwhen I left. "

"More shame to you for leaving him, my young Philosopher, " returned thecaptain, "but I tell you the truth; I sent him 1000 pounds sterling, andI believe there's as much lyin' here in gold-dust and nuggets thatbelongs to you. We've all done equally well, I'm thankful to say, and, better than that, good fortune seems to have brought us good health. Even Ben Trench there is able to dig like the rest of us. "

"Not exactly, " said Ben with a pleasant smile at his old friend Wilkins, "but I'm very well, thank God, and able to do a little. I wouldn't havebeen what I am now but for the care of this dear little nurse. "

Polly was quite pleased with the compliment, and made a liberal offer tosupply more tea to any of the company who might want it. 

All this, and a great deal more, was corroborated by every one present;moreover, it was told them that there were many other claims which hadsuddenly turned out well, and that the whole aspect of these diggingshad changed for the better. 

"And what of Mr Luke?" asked Jack, glancing round the circle. 

"Gone, " said the captain, "nobody knows where. He became gloomier andstranger than ever after you went away, and one morning announced hisintention to leave us and return to San Francisco. He left, and has notbeen heard of since. Bob Corkey, too, is off. He got restless anddisappointed at our bad luck, said he'd go away prospectin' on his ownhook, and went. "

"Good luck go with him! He was altogether too fond of argifying, " saidSimon O'Rook. 

"He's not the only one, " remarked Baldwin Burr, with a grin. 

After much consideration and consultation, it was agreed that, in themeantime, the party should remain where they were, and, when theirclaims began to fail, go off to Grizzly Bear Gulch. 

This being decided, Jacob Buckley rose, saying that he was going tovisit his friends at Higgins' store. Jack followed him. When they werealone he said--

"Now, Jacob, don't go, there's a good fellow. You saved my life, I maysay, and that gives me a claim on you. " Buckley frowned, but saidnothing. "If you get among your old mates, " continued Jack, "and beginto _taste_, you're a gone man. God has been very good to us. He hasmade us rich. We may live to be useful, Jacob. Think of it. "

A half sarcastic smile flitted over Buckley's face as he said, "Youdidn't use to be a preacher, Jack; what makes you now so keen to saveme, as you call it?"

"I'm not sure what it is that makes me anxious now, " replied Jack, "butI know what made me anxious at first. It was your poor brother Daniel. That night he died, when he whispered in my ear, it was to make mepromise to save you from drink and gambling if I could. "

"Did he?" exclaimed the miner vehemently, as he clenched his hands. "ODan! dear Dan, did you say that at such an hour? Look you, Jack, " headded, turning sharply round, "I'll not go near the store, and if I _am_saved it is Dan who has done it, mind that--not you. "

And Buckley held to his word. For months after that he worked with theSamson party--as it was styled--and never once tasted a drop of anythingstronger than tea. 

During all that time success continued, but Philosopher Jack felt in hisheart that no success in digging up gold was at all comparable to thatof working with the Lord in helping a brother-sinner to turn from theerror of his ways. 

As their wealth accumulated, the different members of the partyconverted it into cash, sent some of it home to the assistance offriends or relatives, and the rest for safe and remunerative investment. For the latter purpose they committed it to the care of Mr Wilkinssenior, who, being a trusty and well-known man of business, was left tohis own discretion in the selection of investments. Simon O'Rook, however, did not follow the example of his friends. He preferred tokeep his gold in his own hands, and, as its bulk increased, stowed itaway in a small chest, which, for further security, he buried in a holein the tent directly under his own sleeping corner. 

In addition to his remittances to Mr Wilkins for investment, Edwin Jacksent large sums regularly to his father, for the purpose not only ofgetting him out of his difficulties, but of enabling him to extend hisfarming operations. The wheel of fortune, however, had turned upwardswith Jack senior, and he did not require these sums, as we shall see. 

While things were going on thus prosperously at the other side of theworld, a wonderful change--intimately connected with gold--took place inthe "Old Country", which materially altered the circumstances of some ofthose personages whose names have figured in our tale. 

CHAPTER NINE. 

TREATS OF A CATASTROPHE AND RUIN. 

We return once again to the cottage on the Scottish Border. It is notquite so lowly as it was when first introduced to our readers. Althoughnot extensively changed, there is a certain air of comfort andprosperity about it which gives it much the appearance of a dirty boywho has had his face washed and a suit of new clothes put on. It hasbeen whitewashed and partially re-roofed. A trellis-work porch withcreepers has been added. The garden bears marks of improvement, and inone part there are four little plots of flower-beds, so conspicuouslydifferent in culture and general treatment as to suggest the idea offour different gardens. Inside of Mr Jack's abode there are also manychanges for the better. The rooms are better furnished than they usedto be. Several cheap oleograph copies of beautiful pictures adorn thewalls, and the best parlour, which used to be kept in a condition ofdeadly propriety for state occasions only, is evidently used in thecourse of daily life. A brand-new piano, with a pretty little girlseated before it, suggests advancing refinement, and the expression ofthe child's face, while she attempts the impossible task of stretchingan octave, indicates despair. There is another little girl seated at atable darning with all the energy of a Martha-like character. She isengaged upon a pair of juvenile socks, which have apparently been wornlast by a cart-horse. Books and drawing materials and mathematicalinstruments on the table betoken progressive education, and, in short, everything without and within the cottage tells, as we have said, ofprosperity. 

It must not be supposed, however, that all this is due to PhilosopherJack's good fortune and liberality. When the first letter came fromCalifornia, telling of the safety of our hero and his friends, Mr Jackwas indeed in great material distress, but there was no money in thatletter. It was despatched from San Francisco at the time of the arrivalof the party, along with letters from the other members, informing theirvarious relations of their deliverance. But if the letter had containedtons of the finest gold it could not have added a feather's weight tothe joy of the old couple, who, like the widow of Nain or the sisters ofBethany, had received their dear lost one direct from the Lord, and, asit were, back from the dead. Then, after an interval, came CaptainSamson's letter enclosing the bill for 1000 pounds, and explaining whyPhilosopher Jack himself did not write with it. Mr Jack seniorthankfully used two hundred of the amount, which was quite sufficient toextricate him from all his difficulties. The balance he put into thenearest bank, to be kept for "the dear boy" on his return. 

From that date God sent prosperity to the cottage on the Border. Flocksincreased, seasons were no longer bad, grey mares no longer broke theirlegs, turnips throve, and, in short, everything went well, so that, instead of using the large sums of money which his son frequently senthim, Mr Jack placed them all to "dear Teddie's" credit in the bank. 

In one of these letters, his son mentioned that he had sent still largersums to the care of Mr Wilkins senior, to be invested for himself. MrJack, having consulted with his faithful spouse, drew his son's giftsfrom the local bank, went to the city of Blankow, called on Mr Wilkins, and desired him to invest the money in the same concern with the rest. Mr Wilkins purchased shares with it in the Blankow Bank, telling MrJack that he considered it one of the best and safest investments inScotland, that he had invested in it all the funds sent home by his ownson and his comrades, and that he himself was a large shareholder. Thusdid Mr Jack senior act with all the gifts that Jack junior sent him, saying to Mr Wilkins on each occasion, that, though the dear boy meanthim to use the money, he had no occasion to do so, as the Lord hadprospered him of late, and given him enough and to spare. 

We re-introduce the Jack family to the reader at breakfast-time, notbecause that was the only noteworthy period of their day, but because itwas the time when the parents of the family were wont to talk over thedaily plans. 

Mr Jack went to the door and shouted, "Breakfast!" in a sonorous tone. Instantly the octave was abandoned and the socks were dropped. Nextmoment there was a sound like the charge of a squadron of cavalry. Itwas the boys coming from the farm-yard. The extreme noise of thefamily's entry was rendered fully apparent by the appalling calm whichensued when Mr Jack opened the family Bible, and cleared his throat tobegin worship. At breakfast the noise began again, but it was moresubdued, appetite being too strong for it. In five minutes Dobbin wasup to the eyes in a treacle-piece. This was a good opportunity forconversation. 

"Maggie, " said Mr Jack, looking up from his plate, "the last bill sentus from the diggin's by the dear boy makes the sum in my hands up to twothousand pounds. I'll go to town to-day and give it to Mr Wilkins toinvest as usual. "

"Very weel, John, " replied Mrs Jack, "but it's been runnin' in my mindthat it's no that safe to pit a' yer eggs in the same basket. Maybe yemight invest it in somethin' else. "

"That's true, Maggie, we shall see, " said Mr Jack, who was at all timesa man of few words. As Dobbin became at the moment clamorous for morefood, nothing further was said on the subject. 

Arrived in the city, John Jack made his way to the office of MrWilkins. He found that gentleman with an expression of unwontedresignation on his countenance. 

"I've brought you more money to invest, Mr Wilkins, " said John Jack, sitting down after wiping his forehead, and producing a fat pocketbook;"I thought of doin' it in the old way, but my wife and I have beenthinkin' that perhaps it might be wise to put some of the eggs inanother basket. "

A very sad and peculiar smile flitted for a moment across Mr Wilkins'sface. "It is plain that you have not heard of the disastrous failure, "he said. "Only last week the Blankow Bank suspended payment, and if thereports as to its liabilities be true, the result will be widespreadruin throughout the country. "

"Do you mean to say that the Bank has failed?" asked Mr Jack, anxiously. 

"Yes, and it is feared that most of the shareholders will be ruined. Iam one, you know. "

"Will _you_ be ruined, Mr Wilkins?"

"I fear that the first call will be more than I can meet. I trust thatyou are not personally involved. "

"No, thank God, I'm not, " said Mr Jack, with an increasingly anxiouslook. "But tell me, Mr Wilkins--for I don't understand banking mattersvery well--is my son's money all gone?"

"All, " returned Mr Wilkins sadly, "and all that my own son hasinvested, as well as that of his friends!"

"How was it, sir, " asked Mr Jack, in a reproachful tone, "that you wereso confident in recommending the investment?"

"Because I thoroughly believed in the soundness of the bank and in thecharacter of its directors. Investing my own funds so largely in itsstock proves how I trusted it. But I was mistaken. It is a mysterywhich I cannot solve. Perhaps, when the examination of its affairs iscompleted, light may be thrown on the subject. I hope that no more ofyour relations or friends have stock in it?"

"None that I know of, except indeed my poor friend Mrs Niven, who wasmy son's landlady when he was at college. I'll go and inquire abouther. "

Mr Jack thrust the fat pocket-book into a breast pocket, and buttonedup his coat with the determined air of a man who means to keep hold ofwhat he has got. 

Bidding Mr Wilkins good-bye, he walked rapidly to Mrs Niven's houseand pulled the bell rather violently. The summons was promptly answeredby Peggy, who ushered him into a little parlour, where he was quicklyjoined by Mrs Niven. 

"I'm very sorry to hear the bad news, " said Mr Jack, pressing the goodwoman's hand in sympathy. 

"What bad news?" asked Mrs Niven, in alarm. 

"The bank, you know, " said Mr Jack. "It's very hard, and to think thatyou're in the same boat with my dear boy, whose fortune is wrecked--"

A little scream stopped him, for the word "wrecked" struck a chill tothe poor woman's heart. 

"What! wrecked again?" she cried, "on a bank, in a boat? Oh! don't tellme, don't tell me that he's drownded. "

"No, no, " cried Mr Jack, hastening to relieve her mind, while hesupported her to a chair; "no, no; my dear boy's all right. It's theBlankow Bank I mean that's gone to wreck, you know, and all his moneywith it, and yours too, I suppose, for you told me you had shares inthat bank. "

"Oh! as to that, " said Mrs Niven, greatly relieved, "you may mak' yermind easy. I've got nae shares intilt noo. I selt them through MrBlack lang syne. He's a douce, clever, honest felly--a relation o'mine, and a first-rate business man; but for him I'd hae lost my siller, nae doot. He warned me that the bank was nae a right ane, and advisedme to sell. "

Mr Jack thought that such a clever, disinterested man-of-business, anda relation of Mrs Niven, might be just the person to give him soundadvice at this crisis; he therefore obtained his address, and, after along chat with the good woman, who would have listened for hours to theadventures of her "bonny lodger, " took his departure, and in due timestood at the door of the dirty little office. 

The dirty clerk ushered the visitor into the presence of Mr Black, whose presence was more repulsive than it used to be. He received MrJack rather gruffly, and asked his business. 

"Oho! an eccentric character, gruff but honest, " thought Mr Jack, whobegan by saying that he had just come from visiting his friend MrsNiven. 

Mr Black's face grew almost green at the name, and his brows scowledfiercely. 

"Strange look for an honest, kindly man, " thought Mr Jack, "but we mustnever judge from the outward appearance;" then he said aloud, "I went tosee her about that bank failure--"

"Ha!" growled Mr Black, interrupting, "but for that woman, and that--"he checked himself and said, "but you came here on some matter ofbusiness, I suppose. Will you state it?"

"A very eccentric man indeed, remarkably so, for a kindly, honest man, "thought Mr Jack; but he only said, "I came here to consult you aboutthe investment of two thousand pounds--"

"Oh! indeed, " said Mr Black, in quite an altered tone, as he rose andpolitely offered his visitor a chair. 

"But, " continued Mr Jack, rebuttoning his greatcoat which he had partlyopened, "but, sir, I have changed my mind, and bid you good-day. "

So saying, he went out, leaving Mr Black standing at the door in stupidamazement and his dirty clerk agonising with suppressed laughter behindhis desk. Mr Black had been groaning and growling all the day at thethoughts of the ruin which had overtaken him--thoughts which wereembittered by the knowledge that he had drawn it on himself through theinstrumentality of Mrs Niven. The climax of Mr Jack's visit did nottend to restore him. Recovering from his amazement, and observing thecondition of the clerk, he suddenly hurled the cash-book at him. Cleverly dodging it, the dirty little creature bolted from the office, and banged the door behind him. 

Meanwhile Mr Jack cashed his last bill of exchange, returned home, andpresented his wife with a bag of gold, which she deposited in thedarkest recesses of the great family chest. 

"That bank gives no interest, " said John Jack, with a quiet chuckle, ashe superintended the deposit, "but we shall always have the interest ofknowing that it is there. "

Long afterwards Mr Wilkins sought to combat Mr Jack's objection toinvest in another Scotch bank. "This disaster, " he said, "ought not tobe called a bank _failure_; it is a bank _robbery_ committed by its owndirectors, as has been clearly proved, and no more touches the credit ofScotch banks in general than the failure of a commercial house, throughthe dishonesty of its principals, affects the other commercial houses ofthe kingdom. "

"It may be as you say, sir, " replied John Jack, gravely, "an' if it wasmy own money I might act on your advice. But I intend to take care ofwhat's left of the dear boy's money myself. "

So saying, the stout farmer threw his shepherd's plaid over hisshoulder, and went off to his cottage on the Border. 

But we must pass from this subject. Space forbids our going deeper intoit, or touching on the terrible consequences of dishonesty coupled withunlimited liability. Fortunes were wrecked; the rich and the poor, theinnocent and guilty, the confiding and the ignorant as well as theknowing and wise, fell in the general crash. Many homes were desolated, and many hearts were broken. May we not believe, also, that many heartswere purified in passing through the furnace of affliction!

"All is not evil that brings sorrow, " may be quite as true as theproverb, "All is not gold that glitters. " Some have been glad to saywith the Psalmist, "It was good for me that I was afflicted. " Thistruth, however, while it might strengthen some hearts to bear, did notlighten the load to be borne. The great Bank failure producedheart-rending and widespread distress. It also called forth deep andgeneral sympathy. 

Out among the mountain gorges of California the gold-hunters knewnothing of all this for many a day, and our adventurers continued todig, and wash, and pile up the superstructure of their fortunes, allignorant of the event which had crumbled away the entire foundations. 

At last there came a day when these fortunate gold-miners cried, "Hold!enough!" an unwonted cry--not often uttered by human beings. 

Standing beside the camp fire one evening, while some of the party werecooking and others were arranging things inside the tent Captain Samsonlooked around him with an unusually heavy sigh. 

"It's a grand country, and I'll be sorry to leave it, " he said. 

"Troth, and so will meself, " responded O'Rook. 

It was indeed a grand country. They had lately changed the position oftheir tent to an elevated plateau near a huge mass of rock where alittle mountain stream fell conveniently into a small basin. From thisspot they could see the valley where it widened into a plain, and againnarrowed as it entered the gloomy defile of the mountains, whose topsmingled magnificently with the clouds. 

"You see, my lads, " continued the captain, "it's of no use goin' onwastin' our lives here, diggin' away like navvies, when we've got moregold than we know what to do with. Besides, I'm not sure that we ain'tgettin' into a covetous frame of mind, and if we go on devotin' ourlives to the gettin' of gold that we don't need, it's not unlikely thatit may be taken away from us. Moreover, many a man has dug his grave inCalifornia and bin buried, so to speak, in gold-dust, which is a fatethat no sensible man ought to court--a fate, let me add, that seems toawait Ben Trench if he continues at this sort o' thing much longer. And, lastly, it's not fair that my Polly should spend her prime inacting the part of cook and mender of old clothes to a set of roughminers. For all of which reasons I vote that we now break up ourpartnership, pack up the gold-dust that we've got, and return home. "

To this speech Polly Samson replied, promptly, that nothing pleased hermore than to be a cook and mender of old clothes to rough miners, andthat she was willing to continue in that capacity as long as her fatherchose. Philosopher Jack also declared himself willing to remain, butadded that he was equally willing to leave if the rest of the firmshould decide to do so, as he was quite content with the fortune thathad been sent him. Simon O'Rook, however, did not at first agree to theproposal. 

"It's rich enough that I am already, no doubt, " he said, "but sure, there's no harm in bein' richer. I may be able to kape me carriage an'pair at present, but why shudn't I kape me town house an' country housean' me carriage an four, if I can?"

"Because we won't stay to keep you company, " answered Watty Wilkins, "and surely you wouldn't have the heart to remain here digging holes byyourself? Besides, my friend Ben is bound to go home. The work isevidently too hard for him, and he's so fond of gold that he won't giveup digging. "

"Ah! Watty, " returned Ben with a sad smile, "you know it is not myfondness for gold that makes me dig. But I can't bear to be a burden onyou, and you know well enough that what I do accomplish does little morethan enable me to pay my expenses. Besides, a little digging does megood. It occupies my mind and exercises my muscles, an' preventsmoping. Doesn't it, Polly?"

In this estimate of his case Ben Trench was wrong. The labour which heundertook and the exposure to damp, despite the remonstrances of hiscompanions, were too much for a constitution already weakened bydisease. It was plain to every one--even to himself--that a change wasnecessary. He therefore gladly agreed to the captain's proposal. 

Baldwin Burr, however, dissented. He did not, indeed, object to thedissolution of the partnership of Samson and Company, but he refused toquit the gold-fields, saying that he had no one in the Old Country whomhe cared for, and that he meant to settle in California. 

It was finally agreed that the captain, Philosopher Jack, Watty Wilkins, Ben Trench, Simon O'Rook, and Polly should return home, while BaldwinBurr and Jacob Buckley should enter into a new partnership and remain atthe fields. 

Although, as we have said, most of our adventurers had sent their goldhome in the form of bills of exchange for investment, they all hadgoodly sums on hand in dust and nuggets--the result of their more recentlabours--for which strong boxes were made at Higgins's store. SimonO'Rook, in particular, --who, as we have said, did not send home any ofhis gold, --had made such a huge "pile" that several strong boxes wererequired to hold all his wealth. The packing of these treasure-chestsoccupied but a short time. Each man cut his name on the lid of his boxinside, and printed it outside, and nailed and roped it tight, and tookevery means to make it secure. Then, mounting their mules andtravelling in company with a trader and a considerable party of miners, they returned to San Francisco, having previously secured berths in aship which was about to sail for England _via_ Cape Horn. 

Baldwin Burr and Buckley convoyed them a day's journey on the way. 

"I'm sorry you're goin', Miss Polly, " said Baldwin, riding up alongsideof our little heroine, who ambled along on a glossy black mule. 

"I am _not_ sorry that we're going, " replied Polly, "but I'm sorry--verysorry--that we are leaving you behind us, Baldwin. You're such a dearold goose, and I'm so fond of teaching you. I don't know how I shall beable to get on without you. "

"Yes, that's it, Miss Polly, " returned the bluff seaman, with a look ofperplexity. "You're so cram full of knowledge, an' I'm sitch an emptycask, that it's bin quite a pleasure to let you run over into me, so tospeak. "

"Come, Baldwin, don't joke, " said Polly, with a quick glance. 

"I'm far from jokin', Miss Polly, " returned the seaman; "I'm indownright earnest. An' then, to lose Philosopher Jack on the selfsameday. It comes hard on an old salt. The way that young man has stroveto drive jogriffy, an' 'rithmetic, an navigation into my head iswonderful; an' all in vain too! It's a'most broke his heart--to saynothin' of my own. It's quite clear that I'll never make a good seaman. Howsever, it's a comfort to know that I've got edication enough for alandsman--ain't it, Miss Polly?"

Polly laughed, and admitted that that was indeed a consoling reflection. 

While these two were conversing thus, Jack and Jacob Buckley were ridingtogether in the rear of the party. They had been talking as if undersome sort of restraint. At last Jack turned to his companion with akind, straightforward look. 

"It's of no use, Buckley, my beating about the bush longer. This islikely to be the last time that you and I shall meet on earth, and Ican't part without saying how anxious I am that you should persevere inthe course of temperance which you have begun. "

"Thank you, Jack, thank you, " said the miner heartily, "for the interestyou take in me. I do intend to persevere. "

"I know that, Jacob, I know it; but I want you to believe that you haveno chance of success unless you first become a follower of Jesus Christ. He is the _only_ Saviour from sin. Your resolutions, without Him, cannot succeed. I have found that out, and I want you to believe it, Jacob. "

"I _do_ believe it, " said the miner earnestly. "Dear Dan used to tellme that--often--often. Dear Dan!"

"Now, " added Jack, "we shall have to part soon. There is another thingI want to mention. There is a bag of gold with my name on it, worthsome few hundred pounds, more or less. I want you to accept it, for Iknow that you have not been so successful as we have during our short--"

"But I won't take it, Jack, " interrupted Buckley. 

"Yes you will, Jacob, from an old friend and comrade. It may tide youover a difficulty, who knows? Luck does not always last, as the sayinggoes. "

Still Buckley shook his head. 

"Well, then, " continued Jack, "you can't help yourself, for I've leftthe bag under your own pillow in the tent!"

Buckley's reply was checked by a shout from Captain Samson. They hadreached the parting point--a clump of trees on an eminence thatoverlooked a long stretch of undulating park-like region. Here theydismounted to shake hands and say farewell. Little was said at thetime, but moistened eyes and the long grasp of hard muscular hands toldsomething of feelings to which the lips could give no utterance. 

The party could see that knoll for miles after leaving it, and wheneverPolly reined up and looked back, she saw the sturdy forms of BaldwinBurr and Jacob Buckley waving a kerchief or a hat, standing side by sideand gazing after them. At last they appeared like mere specks on thelandscape, and the knoll itself finally faded from their view. 

At San Francisco they found their vessel, the _Rainbow_, a largefull-rigged ship, ready for sea. Embarking with their boxes ofgold-dust they bade farewell to the golden shore, where so many youngand vigorous men have landed in hopeful enthusiasm, to meet, too often, with disappointment, if not with death. 

Our friends, being among the fortunate few, left it with joy. 

The _Rainbow_ shook out her sails to a favouring breeze, and, sweepingout upon the great Pacific, was soon bowling along the western coast ofSouth America, in the direction of Cape Horn. 

CHAPTER TEN. 

CHANGE OF SCENE AND FORTUNE. 

The fair wind that swept the good ship _Rainbow_ away from California'sgolden shores carried her quickly into a fresh and purer atmosphere, moral as well as physical. It seemed to most, if not all, of thegold-finders as if their brains had been cleared of golden cobwebs. They felt like convalescents from whom a low fever had suddenlydeparted, leaving them subdued, restful, calm, and happy. 

"It's more like a dream than a reality, " observed Ben Trench one day, ashe and Polly sat on the after part of the vessel, gazing out upon thetranquil sea. 

"What seems like a dream?" asked Philosopher Jack, coming aft at themoment with Watty Wilkins, and sitting down beside them. 

"Our recent life in California, " replied Ben. "There was such constantbustle and toil, and restless, feverish activity, both of mind and body;and now everything is so calm and peaceful, and we are so delightfullyidle. I can hardly persuade myself that it is not all a dream. "

"Perhaps it is, " said Philosopher Jack. "There are men, you know, whohold that everything is a dream; that matter is a mere fancy orconception, and that there is nothing real or actually in existence butmind. "

"Bah!" exclaimed Watty with contempt; "what would these philosophers sayif matter, in the shape of a fist, were to hit them on their ridiculousnoses?"

"They'd say that they only imagined a fist and fancied a blow, Isuppose, " returned Jack. 

"And would they say that the pain and the blood were imagination also?"

"I suppose they would. "

"But what if I were to come on them slily behind and hit them on theirpates before they had a chance to see or to exert their terribly realand powerful minds?" demanded Watty. 

"You must ask one of themselves, Watty, for I don't know much abouttheir views; indeed, I'm not sure that I have represented themcorrectly, though it's very likely I have, for there is no species ofnonsense under the sun that men have not been found to hold and defendwith more or less vigour. "

"Would you not call that a proof of the Creator's intention that manshould exercise the investigative powers of his mind?" asked Ben. 

"I would call it a proof of man's depravity, " said Wilkins. 

"What does Polly think?" asked Jack, with an amused look at the child, whose fair brow wore an anxious little frown as she tried to understand. 

"I think it's a proof of both, " replied Polly, with a blush and a laugh;"we have got the power to think and speak and reason, and we aresometimes very naughty. "

"Well said, Polly; we must call _you_ the philosopher in future, " criedWatty. "But Jack, " he added, with a perplexed air, "it seems to me thatwe live in such a world of confusion, both as to the limited amount ofour knowledge, and the extent of our differences of opinion, whilepresumptuous incapacity attempts to teach us on the one hand, anddesigning iniquity, or pure prejudice, seeks to mislead us on the other, and misconception of one's meaning and motives all round makes such amuddle of the whole that--that--it seems to me the search after truth isalmost hopeless, at least to ordinary minds. "

"I admit it to be a great difficulty, " replied Jack, "but it is by nomeans hopeless. We must not forget that the world is well supplied withextraordinary minds to keep the ordinary minds right. "

"True, but when the extraordinary minds differ, what are the poorordinary ones to do?" asked Watty. 

"Use their brains, Watty, use their brains, " said Captain Samson, whohad come aft, and been listening to the conversation. "Your brains, whether good or bad, were given to be used, not to be sold. The powerto reason is a gift that is not bestowed only on extraordinary minds. The unlearned are sometimes better reasoners than the learned, though, of course, they haven't got so many tools to work with. Still, they aresufficiently furnished with all that's needful to run the race that isset before them. God has given to every man--civilised and savage--abrain to think with, a heart to feel with, a frame to work with, aconscience to guide him, and a world, with all its wonderful stores, inwhich to do what he will. Conscience--which, I think, is well named thevoice of God in man--tells him to do _right_, and forbids him to do_wrong_; his heart glows with a certain degree of pleasure when he doeswell, and sinks, more or less, when he does ill; his reason tells him, more or less correctly, _what_ is right, and _what_ is wrong. The Wordof God is the great chart given to enlighten our understandings andguide us heavenward. As my reason tells me to go to my charts for safedirection at sea, so every man's reason will tell him to go to God'srevealed Word, when he believes he has got it. There he will find thatJesus Christ is the centre of the Word, the sum and substance of it, that he cannot believe in or accept the Saviour except by the power ofthe Holy Spirit. He will also find the blessed truth that God haspromised the Spirit to those who simply `ask' for Him. There is nodifficulty in all this. The great and numberless difficulties by whichwe are undoubtedly surrounded are difficulties of detail, which we maybe more or less successful in solving, according to our powers of mind, coupled with our submission to the revealed will of God. To some extentwe fail and get into trouble because we lazily, or carelessly, let othermen think for us, instead of making use of other men's thoughts to helpus to think for ourselves. Depend upon it, Watty, we won't be able tojustify ourselves at the judgment day by saying that things were toodeep for us, that things seemed to be in such a muddle that it was of nouse trying to clear 'em up. Why, what would you say of the mainspringof a watch if it were suddenly to exclaim, `I'll give up trying! Heream I--so powerful and energetic, and so well able to spin round--checked, and hindered, and harassed by wheels and pinions and levers, some going this way, and some going that way, all at sixes and sevens, and all for no good end that I can see, buried as I am in this dark holeand scarcely allowed to move at all?' Would it be right or reasonableto charge the watchmaker with having made the watch in vain, or made itwrong? Of this I at least am convinced, that God is _perfect_, and thatall things are working towards a _good_ end, God's sovereignty, ourmysterious free-will and personal responsibility being among these `allthings. '"

While Captain Samson was discoursing on these important subjects, thelook-out on the forecastle reported a sail on the weather-bow. 

"She's a whaler, I do believe, and her boats are after a sperm whale, "said Simon O'Rook, who stood by the mizzen shrouds looking intently ather through his double glass. Simon, being now a rich man, had not onlytaken a cabin passage, but had bought for himself one of the bestbinocular telescopes to be had in San Francisco. 

It was soon seen that O'Rook was right for the whale rose to blow, andswam towards the _Rainbow_, while the boats of the whaler immediatelyfollowed in pursuit. 

Great was the excitement on board the _Rainbow_ as the men clustered onthe forecastle, or ran up the rigging, to watch the chase, while theofficers and passengers got out their telescopes. 

"Come here, Polly, " cried Jack; "look through my glass. It's a rarechance you've got of seeing what men have to go through in order to sendoil to market. "

Polly at once accepted the invitation. Jack assisted her to mount onthe top of the capstan, and arranged the glass. 

"There she blows!" shouted one of the men who had been an old whaler;"there she breaches!"

As he spoke the whale rose about three miles to windward of them, notfar from the boat that led the chase. The men in the boat were seen tobend to their oars, as Captain Samson said, "with a will. " Anothermoment and the harpooneer stood up in the bow. The spectators were toofar off to see the weapon used, but they could perceive the man'saction, and there was no possibility of mistake as to the result, whenthe tail of the enormous creature was suddenly flourished in the air, and came down on the sea like a clap of distant thunder. 

"Oh! oh!!" shrieked the horrified Polly, "the boat is gone!"

But the boat was not gone. It had been quickly backed out of dangerwhen the harpoon was thrown, and reappeared when the cataract of spraysent up had dispersed. 

"He's pouring water on the rope now, " said Jack, in a low excited voice, "to prevent its catching fire as it runs out. They're fast to thefish. "

"Yes, I see, " exclaimed Polly, squeezing her right eye against the glassand shutting the other with her hand. 

But in a few minutes there was no need for telescopes, as the whale camestraight towards the _Rainbow_, dragging the boat after it, while theother boats followed as fast as the men could pull. The whale-shipsteered in the same direction, but there was scarcely wind enough tofill her top-sails. 

Suddenly the leviathan came to the surface for breath, not far off, andsent up a grand spout of water on the _Rainbow's_ starboard bows. Theboat pulled quickly up, and another harpoon was sent deep into thewhale's side. It dived immediately, and, turning at an angle, dartedoff in an other direction. This time the excited onlookers could hearthe cheer given by the whalers as the second "iron" was fixed, andreplied to it with enthusiasm. Soon the boat was carried far away, andthe telescopes became again necessary, but ere long the fish turned, andonce more made for the ship. It could not have been more than fivehundred yards distant when it came to the surface for the third time, and the harpooneer was distinctly seen to drive a lance deep into itsside, from which fountains of blood flowed. He had struck its "life, "as whalemen express it, and the whale soon went into its dyingstruggles, in the course of which it hit the boat, stove in its side, and overturned it. 

There was a cry of consternation on board the _Rainbow_ at this. Instantly the order was given to lower the boats. Philosopher Jack andO'Rook sprang to obey, by an irresistible impulse, as if they had beenpart of the ship's crew. In a few seconds two boats were rowing at fullspeed to the rescue, while the boats belonging to the whale-ship--stillfar distant--made for the scene of disaster. 

Ere long the rescue party had the great satisfaction of picking up thewrecked whalers, and found that not a man among them had receivedgreater injury than a bruise or two and a ducking. Their boat, however, was completely destroyed. They were therefore taken on board the_Rainbow_, while the whaler's boats came up and secured their prize. 

That night, while the stars twinkled at their own reflections in thesleeping sea, the crew of the whale-ship had a "gam" on board the_Rainbow_. 

A "gam, " good reader, may be described as a "small tea-party" on thesea. But it differs in many respects from such gatherings on shore, inasmuch as the revellers are not "a few friends", male and female, butare usually absolute strangers to each other, and of the male sex only. But the circumstances of their meeting--on the lone ocean, far from homeand friends--have a marvellous effect in opening up the fountains of thehuman heart. The men and officers fraternised at once. The whalerswere chiefly American, the Rainbowers principally English, with a slightmixture of Irish and Scotch. They all spoke the same language; that wasenough. Soon after the arrival of their guests, powerful friendshipswere formed. While tea, or rather supper, was being discussed, thesewere cemented; and, when pipes were lit, confidences of the mosttouching nature were interchanged. Anecdotes and stories naturallyfollowed the confidences, broke up the separate parties, and drew thecompany more together. The union was finally and effectuallyconcentrated by one of the whalers' crew making a demand for a song. 

"Come, O'Rook, " cried one of the _Rainbow_ men, "let's have `The poorlittle pig wi' the purple nose. '"

O'Rook began at once, and sang with such fervour and pathos, that hisauditors became quite uproarious in their admiration. But when theIrishman called on the whalers for a ditty, a fine-looking youth sang asong of the "Homeward Bound, " in a voice so sweet and true, that thespirit of the men was changed, and many a moistened eye told that deepchords of sympathy had been touched. 

"Can you play the fiddle?" asked one of the men of O'Rook, when the songwas finished. 

"Sure it's myself can do that same, " he replied, with a modest air, which drew forth a peal of laughter. When the fiddle was produced andO'Rook struck up reels, and strathspeys, and hornpipes, with a precisionof touch and time and perfection of tune that was far above the averageof amateurs, the joy of the party could no longer find vent through eyeand mouth. They were forced to open the safety-valves of heel and toe. For this purpose the quarter-deck was cleared, and flags were festoonedround it; the officers joined, and Polly Samson was placed on thecapstan, like the presiding angel of the scene. 

Ah! reader, if you have not been for many months on the ocean, or in thelone wilderness, without seeing a new face, or hearing a sweet sound, orfeeling the power of female influence, you cannot fully appreciate whatwe describe. There was no drink save coffee and tea at that feast. The_Rainbow_ was a temperance ship. But the men required no spirits. Eachone had more than sufficient within himself. The presence of Polly, too, had a powerful effect. Every man there saw his own particularPolly or Susan or Nancy in her pretty laughing face and sparkling eyes. 

"Your men are powerful fellows, " said the captain of the _Rainbow_ tothe captain of the whaler; "I've no doubt they'll be quite game for workto-morrow, though they should keep it up all night. "

"They certainly would, " replied the latter, "if called on to do duty;but they won't be required to work to-morrow, for we keep the Sabbath onboard of our ship as a duty we owe to God, and we find that we are greatgainers in health and strength, while we are no losers of fish by doingso. "

"Ha! the great Captain Scoresby tried that before you, and said that hefound keeping the Sabbath to be good both for body and soul, " said thecaptain of the _Rainbow_. 

"I know he did, " replied the other, "and I am trying to follow inScoresby's wake. "

It was pretty late in the evening before the whalers could tearthemselves away, and when at last they did so, they expressed aunanimous opinion that it had been the most successful gam they had everhad in their lives. 

Not long after parting company from the whale-ship the _Rainbow_ sailedinto the cold and variable regions south of Cape Horn. Here theyexperienced what the men styled "very dirty weather. " The skies wereseldom blue, and the decks were never dry, while it became necessary tokeep the stove burning constantly in the cabin, and the berth-portsalmost always shut. 

The effect of all this on poor Ben Trench was to injure his healthseverely. His cough increased, and it soon became evident that hiscomplaint, which at first had only threatened to grow worse, had nowbecome chronic and serious. 

"Watty, " he said one day, while his friend sat beside his cot reading tohim, "it's of no use shutting one's eyes to facts. I fear that I am nowhopelessly ill, and that I shall never see father or mother or Susanagain in this world. "

"O Ben! don't speak like that, " said Watty, laying down the book, andgently taking his friend's thin hand in both of his. "You mustn't doit. It will only make you worse. When we get out of this horribleregion into the trade winds and the sunshine near the Line, you'll be anew man. Come now, cheer up, Ben, and don't let your good little nursesee you with such a sad face. "

Polly's step was heard at the moment. She entered with a bowl of soup. 

"Here, Ben, this will do you good, " she said, handing him the bowl. "The cook says it's the stuff to stick to your ribs. There now, I can'tstop to give it you, for father wants me, but you're all right whenWatty's by. Are you better?"

"Well, not much, " replied Ben with a smile; "but I'm always the betterof seeing your little face. Don't be long of returning, Poll. "

When she had left, Ben drank the soup, and then lay down with a sigh. 

"It may be that the warm latitudes will do me good, Watty, " he said, "but I don't feel as if they would. Still I'm resigned to God's will, though it seems sad to die so young, and just when I've come to know mydear Redeemer, and might, perhaps, have done some little work for Him. It seems so strange to be saved and not allowed time to _do_ anything. "

"You _have_ done something, " returned his friend with an earnest look;"if I have really turned to Jesus at all, it has been through yourinfluence, Ben, and I'm sure that Jack would say the same of himself;and if he and I are spared to do any good work for our Lord, it will beall owing to you. "

"Not to me, Watty, not to me, " rejoined Ben, with a glad look; "but ifGod's holy Spirit has used me as an instrument in this, I shall havecause to praise Him for it throughout eternity. Oh! is it not strangethat in a region where there is so little godliness, and while we werein the eager pursuit of gold, our eyes should have been opened to seeand appreciate the true gold? But now, Watty, " he added in a lowertone, "I want to ask you to do me a favour. I want you to go yourselfto our house, without delay, and break it to mother. "

He paused. Watty laid his face in the bedclothes, and wept silently. 

"They are very fond of you, " continued Ben, "and I should not like themto hear of it from any one but you. Be very tender to Susan, Watty. Poor Susan, she will need comfort, and you know how to direct her. "

For some time Ben Trench continued talking, and then fell into a quietslumber, in which his friend left him, while Polly watched by his side. 

The warm latitudes did no good to the invalid. On the contrary, hesuffered much from the heat, and became visibly weaker. 

At last the shores of Old England drew nigh. A few days more and theyshould sight land. They sought to cheer him with this, but there was noanswering sparkle in Ben's eyes. 

"Yes, " he said, faintly, "I shall see them all again, but not _here_. "

Ben was dying when the _Rainbow_ approached the British Channel. Thewhole of the previous day a stiff gale had blown, and this had not muchabated when night drew on. Liverpool was their port, and the captaincarried on full sail--more than the good ship could well bear. It isnot known whether he felt so sure of his course that he did not think itnecessary to shorten sail on nearing the Land's End, or that he wasanxious, at all hazards, to reach port before Ben Trench should die, buthe held on recklessly, and, in the dead of night, ran the _Rainbow_straight against the high cliffs not far from the Cornish town of SaintJust. 

The wreck of the ship was complete in a few seconds. All her masts wentover the side, and the waves overwhelmed her. She would have gone downin deep water if she had not been dashed between two rocks and heldthere. Time was thus given for one of the boats to be got out, bututter confusion reigned, for the captain had disappeared. No wonderthat several of the men leaped into her, crying, "Every man forhimself, " and endeavoured to cast off. 

"Have you got Polly?" cried Jack, as he dimly saw a figure staggeringthrough the turmoil of wind and whirling spray. 

"All safe!" gasped Captain Samson. 

Jack instantly jumped into the boat and found O'Rook struggling toprevent one of the men from cutting the hawser. Jack knocked the mandown, and, hauling the boat close alongside, shouted, "Jump, Captain, jump!" The captain did so at the right moment, and alighted safely, though with great violence. Just then Watty Wilkins was seen strivingto lift Ben Trench over the bulwark of the ship. It was impossible torender him assistance, though Jack tried to do so, for at the moment atowering billow fell on the deck and tore the invalid from his grasp. With a shriek of despair Watty fell back into the sea, but was caught byone of the men and hauled into the boat which was then cut adrift. Itwas not a moment too soon, for the next wave dashed their ship topieces. 

As it was impossible to effect a landing among perpendicular cliffswhich were lashed by roaring breakers, they were obliged to push out tosea, where they rowed till daylight, and succeeded in reaching Penzanceharbour. 

Leaving the others to report the news, Jack and Wilkins started offalong the coast to the scene of the wreck. They found the spot, but nota vestige was to be seen of what had so long been their home, save a fewbroken spars, here and there far down in the clefts of inaccessiblerocks. A fisherman, however, told them that several bodies had beenthrown into a little bay, and were then lying in a shed near the spot. Hastening thither, they found five lying side by side. Among them werethose of poor Ben Trench and the captain of the ship--the one strong, stalwart and still ruddy in the face, the other attenuated and ghastly, as might have been expected of one who had, as it were, died a doubledeath. 

We will not dwell on the terrible scene. While Jack and Captain Samsonremained to attend to the dead, Wilkins set off, without delay, to befirst, if possible, in breaking the sad news to his friend's family, according to promise. 

In regard to the wreck, it is sufficient to say that she, with all herprecious freight was scattered on the rugged coasts of Cornwall, and ouradventurers stood once more on their native shores without even themeans of paying their travelling expenses home. They did not like tospeak of their invested wealth, fearing that their statements might bedisbelieved. They therefore stood literally in the position of beggars. 

In this extremity they found the hospitable men of Cornwall to befriends indeed and full of sympathy. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

RETURN OF THE WANDERER. 

Great was the anxiety of Edwin Jack as he walked, with light foot andfluttering heart, over the Border hills and drew near to the old home. He had not heard from his father for nearly a year. Were they all well?had they struggled out of their difficulties with the funds he had sentthem. Was there no empty chair? Such and similar thoughts hurriedthrough his mind as he went along, until he was forced to run forrelief. There was a rocky ridge of land in front of him. From the topof this he knew the cottage could be seen. Panting with exertion whenhe gained the top, he sat down on a mass of rock and gazed at the oldplace till tears disturbed his vision. There it stood as of yore--nochange in the general aspect of things, though there did seem one or twoimprovements about the cottage. But he did not gaze long. Starting upagain he hurried on. 

At last he stood in the midst of the old home-circle--all well, and, thank God, not one absent!

Philosopher though he was, he could not reason down the tears of joythat blinded, and the lump in his throat that well-nigh choked him. After the first wild miscellaneous embrace all round was over, Jack (orTeddie, as the home-circle called him) found relief by catching upDobbin and burying his face in his neck and curls, regardless of thetreacle with which that gentleman was plentifully besmeared. 

"I've got bad news for you, Teddie, my boy, " said his father, after theyhad moderated a little. 

"Nobody ill or--dead?" asked Jack, with a look of anxiety. 

"No, nobody. "

"Then I'm prepared for any other kind of bad news, " said our philosopherwith a quiet smile. 

"The Blankow Bank, " said his father, laying a hand impressively on hisshoulder, "has failed, and every penny of your gold is gone!"

The family had become very grave. Jack looked from one to the otherwith a bewildered air. 

"You are jesting, father. "

"No, my boy; I would that it were not true. The distress that is abroadin the land because of this calamity is very great. Not only is allyour fortune gone, Ted, but anything that you may have brought home withyou will be taken to pay the creditors of the bank; and they require somuch money that it would ruin you, though you had thousands uponthousands of pounds. "

A strange smile flitted across the youth's face as he replied--

"What I brought home with me won't benefit them much, for it lies withthe wreck of the _Rainbow_ at the bottom of the sea. "

This was indeed a surprise to the old couple, who now learned, for thefirst time, that the wrecked ship, about which a rumour had just reachedthem, was that in which their son had come home. 

"But, father, " continued Jack, with a look of deepening anxiety, "ifthis be as you say, then my comrades must also be ruined, for their goldwas all invested by Mr Wilkins in the same bank. "

"All ruined, " replied the old man in a sad tone. "Mr Wilkins himselfis bankrupt--the first call brought him and many others down. "

"And yourself father; I hope you had no shares in it. "

"None, my boy, thank God. Prosperity has attended me ever since I gotthe first money you sent home. _That_ saved me, Teddie. "

A gleam of joy overspread Philosopher Jack's countenance as he startedto his feet. 

"Then am I well and undeservedly rewarded, daddy, " he exclaimed; "butall this news is pretty tough. I must go out to tackle it. I'll beback in a few minutes. "

He sprang through the cottage door and sped away over the moor like agreyhound. Reaching the top of a rising ground--from which he could seea boundless stretch of border-land, with the sea in the far distance andthe sun setting in a flood of golden light--he drew himself up, andpushing back the hair from his temples with both hands, stood gazingwistfully into the radiant glory. 

"So like a dream--so like a dream!" he murmured. "It was God who gave;surely it is He who has taken away. Can there be anything but good inall this?"

His hands dropped to his side as he spoke, and he sauntered slowly downthe slope on which he stood. Entering a small plantation of fir-treesat the foot of it, he disappeared. 

When he returned to the cottage all trace of strong feeling was gone. "We won't talk of the bank to-night, " he said, "let's be jolly, " andjolly he was accordingly. Not only so, but he made Dobbin jolly too, bysupplying him with such a number of treacle-pieces that the child couldhardly gasp his refusal of the last slice offered, and was made stickyfrom the ends of his filthy fingers to the crown of his curly head. 

It is not necessary, nor would it be pleasant to describe minutely theeffect of the "bad news" on the other members of our gold-digging party. Captain Samson and Watty Wilkins took it well, but Polly and SimonO'Rook could not easily reconcile themselves to their fate. The former, it is true, sorrowed not for herself, but for her father. O'Rook, however, was more selfish, and came down very heavily on what he calledhis "luck. "

"Sure it's a misfortunate pig I've been iver since I left Owld Ireland, "he remarked to his pipe one day after dinner, being alone with thatimplement at the time; "an no sooner does the first stroke of good luckbefall me, an me fortune's made intirely, than whoop! down goes thewhole consarn to the bottom of the say. It's well, hows'ever, that yedidn't go down yerself along with it, Simon. Ye've raison to bethankful for that, anyhow. "

If O'Rook's pipe did not offer him a comforting reply it appeared toconsole him with its fumes, for after a pause, during which the smokeplayed voluminously about his nose, he wrinkled his visage into a smileof good humour. 

"Now, Simon, " he said, rising and putting the black little implement inhis pocket, "you're in a fit state to go an' comfort the widdy. "

Saying which he went out of the cheap refreshment room in which he haddined, and betook himself to the principal street of the city, whosename we have already declined to mention. 

To explain his remark, we may state here that after the most diligentinquiry without success, the Irishman had, by the merest chance, discovered the widow of David Ban--in this very city, to which he hadaccompanied Philosopher Jack and Captain Samson, after clearlyascertaining that every vestige of the wreck of the _Rainbow_ haddisappeared, and that all his gold was irrevocably gone. Walking alongthe principal street one day, he had been attracted by a temperanceeating-house named the "Holly Tree. " Entering it for the purpose of, ashe said, "revictualling the ship, " he was rooted to the spot by hearinga customer call out, "Another cup of coffee, please, Mrs Bancroft, "while at the same moment an assistant at the counter addressed thecomely woman, who replied, "Yes, sir, " by the name of "Lucy. " Couldproof be more conclusive? Upon inquiry "Lucy" turned out in very truthto be the widow of David Bancroft, and the lock of hair corresponded. Of course O'Rook revealed to her the sad circumstances connected withher husband's end. To say that Mrs Bancroft was overwhelmed with griefwould not be true. She had long mourned him as dead, and although theinformation, corroborated as it afterwards was by Edwin Jack and CaptainSamson, did re-open the old wound to some extent, she nevertheless boreit heroically, and took Simon O'Rook's comforting observations in goodpart. But we must not anticipate. Let us return to Watty Wilkins. 

Having broken the news of Ben Trench's death to the Bailie and hisfamily--and a terrible duty he found it to be, --Watty went straight tohis father's house. We drop the curtain on the meeting. The joy of theelder Wilkins can only be fully understood by those who can say of anonly son, "He was lost and is found. "

"Now, Watty, dear boy, " said Mr Wilkins when they came to talk ofordinary matters, "God has mingled mercy with my sorrows. My businesshas indeed been ruined, and I have passed through the bankruptcy court;but I am by no means so unfortunate as hundreds of people who have beenreduced to absolute poverty by this crash. You remember my brotherJames--Uncle Jimmy? well, he has got a flourishing business in the WestIndies. For some years past he had been meditating the establishment ofan agency in connection with it in this city. The moment he heard of myfailure he offered to make me his agent here, with a good salary. Ofcourse I was only too glad and thankful to accept the offer, and aftermy affairs were wound up, entered upon the office. So now, you see, here I am, through God's goodness, still inhabiting the old house, whichI now rent from the person who purchased it. Of course I can no longerkeep a carriage, and it will cost me some calculation and economy tomake the two ends meet, but these are small matters. "

"Oh, father, I'm so glad and thankful!" said Watty with sparkling eyes. 

"But, " continued Mr Wilkins, with a look of profound gravity, "atpresent I happen to be troubled with a great difficulty. "

"What's that?" asked his little son, with a ready sympathy that wasnatural to him, and which his recent experiences had rendered much morepowerful. 

"I find the nature of my duties too much for me, " replied Mr Wilkinswith a peculiar smile, "and it is almost impossible that I can get alongwithout a clever, honest, intelligent clerk, or, shall we say, secretary--a character that is not easily found in these degeneratedays. Can you recommend one, Watty?"

"O yes, " cried the youth, springing up and seizing his father's hand inboth of his; "you mean _me_! Don't you, now? You _can't_ get onwithout me. "

Watty felt inclined to dance a hornpipe, but he sat down instead, and, covering his face with his hands, burst into tears of joy. Being atender-hearted man, Mr Wilkins could not help joining him, but in amoderate degree. We will leave them thus engaged, merely remarking thatif the act was a weakness, it nevertheless seemed to do them a world ofgood. 

After a considerable time had elapsed, Philosopher Jack left the Bordercottage one day, went up to town, and presented himself at his oldlodgings to Mrs Niven. That lady's feelings, under the influence ofsurprise, had a tendency, as we have shown, to lay her flat on thefloor. But the faithful Peggy had come to understand her tendencies, and was usually too much for her. When her old lodger made hisappearance in her parlour, Mrs Niven exhibited symptoms which causedPeggy to glide swiftly forward and receive her in her arms, whence shewas transferred to an easy-chair. 

Recovering, she gave Jack what, in the circumstances, was a heartywelcome. 

"Losh me, laddie, ye'll be the death o' me!"

"I hope not, Mrs Niven, " said Jack, laughing, as he shook her handheartily and sat down, "for my own sake as well as yours; because I havecome to take my old room if it is vacant. "

"Yer auld room, Maister Jack!" exclaimed the bewildered woman. 

"Yes, if it is not already occupied. "

"The yin wi' the reeky lum and the view o' chimbley-pots frae thewundy?"

"The same. I hope I can have it, for I'm going to college again, andI've an affection for the old place, despite the smoky chimney and thecans on the cats' parade. "

"Yer jokin', Maister Jack. "

"Indeed I am not, Mrs Niven. "

"They telt me ye was in Callyforny, an had made 'eer fortin there byhowkin' gold. "

"Well, they told the truth, my good woman, but I happened to invest allin Blankow Bank shares, and--"

"Wow! wow!" exclaimed Mrs Niven, whimpering, for she understood fullwell the meaning of that, "an' 'ee've been ruined! Oh dear! Weel, weel, ay, ay, an it's come to that. Jist like my kind freen' MaisterBlack. Losh me! man, " she added in a sudden burst of indignation, "whatfor disna the Government order a penny subscription ower the hailkingdom to git the puir guiltless shareholders oot o' theirdiffeeculties?"

Philosopher Jack declined to enter upon so subtle a question, but afterfinding that his old room was vacant, retook it, and then went out tothe region of the docks to pay a visit to Captain Samson. He found thatold salt in possession of his old lodging, but it was wonderfullychanged, and, perhaps, not for the better. Polly was there, however, and her presence would have made any place charming. 

"Sit down. There is an empty keg to offer a friend, " said the captain, looking round the almost empty room. "You see they've cleared me out. Had to sell everything a'most. "

This was true. The marine stores, coils of rope, kegs, charts, telescopes, log-lines, sextants, foreign shells, model ships, Chineseidols--all were gone, excepting a table, a chair, a child's crib in acorner, and the hammock, which latter looked more like an overwhelminglyheavy cloud than ever, as it hung over the clean but desolate scene. 

"But we're going to have _such_ a nice tea, " said Polly, "and you shallstay and have some. "

She bustled about the fire, but it had so little heart that even hercoaxing nearly failed to make it burn. Jack offered to assist. 

"Take care, " said Polly with some anxiety; "if you cough or sneezeyou'll put it out. "

"But I promise neither to cough nor sneeze, " said Jack. 

Under their united efforts the fire blazed, and tea with buttered toastere long smoked on the board. 

"Polly's going to London, " said the captain suddenly--almost fiercely. 

"Yes, " said Polly, hastening to explain; "you see, my aunt Maria hasbeen so good as to offer to take me to live with her and put me toschool. "

"Ha!" said the captain, almost blowing the buttered toast out of hismouth with contempt, "and Aunt Maria says she'll make a lady of Polly!Think o' that, Jack; _make_ a lady out of an angel!"

The captain was so tickled with the idea that he went off into a roar ofsarcastic laughter. 

"I'll tell 'ee what it is, Jack, " he continued on recovering, "Ishouldn't wonder it in the course of a few months' residence with her, Polly was to make a lady out of Aunt Maria--supposin' that to bepossible. "

"Oh! father, " remonstrated Polly. 

"Come, " cried the captain savagely, "give us a nor'-wester--that's it;another--thank 'ee. The fact is, I'm goin' in for nor'-westers durin'the next fortnight--goin' to have it blow a regular hurricane of 'em. "

Philosopher Jack hoped, if at all allowable, that he might be permittedto come under the influence of the gale, and then asked why Polly wasleaving her father. 

"She's not leavin' me, bless you, " said the captain, "it's me that'sleavin' _her_. The fact is, I've got a ship. What's left of me is notover young, but it's uncommon tough, so I mean to use it up as long asit lasts for Polly. I'm off to the East Indies in two or three weeks. If it hadn't been for this Aunt Maria I shouldn't have known what to dofor Polly, so I've no call to abuse the stupid old thing. A lady, indeed--ha!"

"You might have been quite sure that my father's house would have beenopen to Polly, " said Jack quite warmly, "or Mr Wilkins's, for thematter of that. "

"I know it lad, I know it" returned the captain, slapping his friend onthe shoulder, "but after all, this Aunt Maria--this lady-likeindividual--is the most natural protector. But now, tell me, what ofO'Rook?"

"I know nothing of him. Haven't seen him for several days. When I lastmet him he seemed to be much depressed, poor fellow. I don't wonder, considering the fortune he has lost. However, Wilkins's father is sureto do the best he can for him. He feels so deeply having led him andthe rest of us into this--though it was no fault of his, and he went inand suffered along with us. I couldn't understand, however, what O'Rookmeant by some wild remarks he made the other day about taking to thetemperance line and going in for coffee and mutton chops up aholly-tree. I hope it hasn't unseated his reason, poor fellow. "

While the trio were thus discussing O'Rook over a cup of tea, that boldIrishman was busily engaged "comforting the widdy" over a cup of coffeein Mrs Bancroft's private parlour. 

It is only just to O'Rook to say that he originally sought the widowfrom a simple desire to tell her of her husband's sad end, which, as wehave seen, had made a deep impression on his sympathetic heart. When, however, he found that the widow was young, cheery, and good-looking, his sympathy was naturally increased, and the feeling was notunnaturally intensified when he found her engaged in the management ofso excellent an institution as the "Holly Tree Public House withoutDrink. " At first O'Rook confined his visits to pure sympathy; then, when he had allowed a "raisonable" time to elapse, he made somewhatwarmer approaches, and finally laid siege to the widow's heart. But thewidow was obdurate. 

"Why won't ye have me, now?" asked the poor man one evening, with aperplexed look; "sure it's not bad-lookin' I am, though I've no occasionto boast of gud looks neither. "

"No, it's not your looks, " said Mrs Bancroft with a laugh, as sheraised her eyes from her knitting and looked at her sister Flo, who satopposite, also knitting, and who took a smiling but comparativelyindifferent view of the matter. 

"Then it must be because I'm not owld enough. Sure if ye wait a year ortwo I'll be as owld as yourself, every bit, " said O'Rook. 

"No, it's not that either, " said the widow. 

"Ah, then, it can't be because I'm poor, " persisted O'Rook, "for withthis good business you don't want money, an' I'm great at cookin', besides havin' the willin' hands that can turn to a'most anything. Ifye'd seen me diggin' for goold, bad luck to it, ye'd belaive what I tellye. Ah!" he added with a sigh, "it's a rich man I'd have been this dayif that ship had only kep' afloat a few hours longer. Well, well, Ineedn't grumble, when me own comrades, that thought it so safe in theBlankow Bank, are about as badly off as me. When was it they began tosuspec' the bank was shaky?"

"Oh, long ago, " said Mrs Bancroft, "soon after the disappearance of MrLuke, the cashier--"

"Mr who?" demanded O'Rook with a start. 

"Mr Luke. Did you know him?"

"I've heard of such a man, " replied O'Rook with assumed carelessness;"what about _him_?"

"Well, it was supposed that he was goin' deranged, poor fellow, and atlast he suddenly disappeared, no one could tell why; but it's clearenough now, for he was made to put the accounts all wrong, and I supposethe struggle in his mind drove him to suicide, for he was a long, thin, weakly sort of man, without much brains except for figures. "

Hereupon O'Rook told the widow all he knew about the strange passengerof that name with whom he had sailed to the Southern Seas and worked atthe gold fields. The conclusion which they came to was that thegold-digging passenger was the absconded cashier. Having settled this, O'Rook renewed the siege on the widow's heart but without success, though she did not cast him off altogether. The poor man, however, lostpatience, and, finally, giving it up in despair, went off to sea. 

"I've been too hard on him, " remarked the widow, sadly, to her sisterFlo, after he was gone. 

"You have, " was Flo's comforting reply, as she rose to serve a clamorouscustomer of the Holly Tree. 

Philosopher Jack from that time forth devoted himself heartily to study, and gradually ceased to think of the golden dreams which had for so longa time beset him by night and by day. He had now found the gold whichcannot perish, and while he studied medicine and surgery to enable himto cure the bodies of men, he devoted much of his time to the study ofthe Book which would enable him to cure their souls. 

The captain came and went across the seas in the course of his roughcalling, and he never came without a heart full of love and hands fullof foreign nick-nacks, which he conveyed to Polly in London, and neverwent away without a rousing nor'-wester. 

Watty and his father worked on together in vigorous contentment and manya visit did the former pay to Bailie Trench, attracted by the strongresemblance in Susan to the bosom friend who had reached the "BetterLand" before him. 

Thus time rolled quietly on, until an event occurred which modified thecareer of more than one of those whose fortunes we have followed solong. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER. 

If it be true that there is "many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip"--which we have no reason to doubt--it is not less true that many a cup ofgood fortune is, unexpectedly and unsought, raised to the lips ofthankless man. 

Captain Samson was seated one fine summer evening in his shore-goingcabin, that used to be the abode of fishy smells, marine-stores, Polly, and bliss, but which now presented an unfurnished and desolate aspect. He had just returned from a voyage. Little "kickshaws" for Polly lay onthe table before him, and a small fire burned in the grate, with a hugekettle thereon. A stormy sigh escaped the captain as he glanced roundthe old room. 

"Come, come, Samson, " he exclaimed, apostrophising himself, "this willnever do. You mustn't give way to the blues. It's true you haven't gotas much to leave to Polly when you slip your cable as you once had; butyou have scraped together a little these few years past, and there'slots of work in you yet, old boy. Besides, it's His way of orderingevents, and that way _must_ be right, whatever it appears to me. Why, Samson, for all your preaching to others, your own faith isn't as big asa grain of mustard seed. Ah! Polly, you're a woman now a'most--and abeauty, I'll be bound. I wish you'd come though. You're not up totime, young 'ooman. It's as well you've got one or two faults, just tokeep you in sympathy with other mortals. Ah, here you come. "

He hastened to answer a double knock at the door, and checked himself, not a moment too soon, from giving a warm embrace to the postman. Undera strong impulse to knock the man down he took a letter from him, flungit on the table, and shut the door. After pacing the room for some timeimpatiently he sat down, opened the letter, and read it aloud. It ranthus:--

 "Sir--Having been for some years past engaged in diving operations at the wreck of the _Rainbow_--lost off the coast of Cornwall in 18 hundred and something, I write to say that I have recovered a large chest of gold with your name on the inside of it, and that of a man named Simon O'Rook. Most of the gold recovered from the _Rainbow_ has been scattered about, but in all cases when ownership could be proved, I have handed over the property. If you can give such an account of the contents of the chest referred to as shall satisfy me that it is yours, the part of its contents which belongs to you shall be restored. 

 "I would feel obliged if you could give me any clew to the whereabouts of O'Rook. --I am, etcetera. "

"The whereabouts of O'Rook!" cried the captain, starting up and gazingat the letter; "why, he's my own first mate, an' close alongside at thisgood hour!"

"True for ye, " cried a man outside the window, as he flattened his noseagainst the glass, "an is it polite to kape yer own first mate rappin'the skin off his knuckles at the door?"

The captain at once let in his follower, and showed him the letter. Hissurprise may be better imagined than described. 

"But d'ee think it's true, cap'n?"

"I haven't a doubt of it, but we can settle that to-morrow by a visit tothe writer of the letter. "

"That's true, " said O'Rook; "which o' the boxes, now, that belonged tous d'ee think it is?"

"It can only be one, " replied the captain, "that box of mine in whichyou asked me to stuff the remnant of the gold-dust that you hadn't roomfor in your own boxes. It was the strongest box o' the lot, whichaccounts for its not breakin' up like the others. "

"It must be that. I rowled it up in an owld leather coat bought from anInjin the day before we left the diggin's. It's but a small remaindero' me fortune--a thousand pounds, more or less, --but sure, it's foundmoney an comes handy this good day, which reminds me I've got some noosefor 'ee. What d'ee think, cap'n?" continued O'Rook, with a veryconscious look. 

"How can I think if ye don't give me somethin' to think about?"

"The widdy's tuk me after all!" said O'Rook. 

"What! widow Bancroft?"

O'Rook nodded impressively. "Moreover, " he said, "she's tuk me as apoor beggar with nothin' but his pay, for better and for worse, an', sure now, it's better I'll be than she tuk me for. "

The captain was interrupted in his congratulations of the mate byanother knock at the door. He opened it, and next moment was seizedround the neck by a tall, graceful, beautiful, exquisite--oh! reader, you know who we mean. 

"Why didn't you come up to time, old girl?" demanded the captain, whileO'Rook looked on in admiration. 

"Oh, father, " gasped Polly, "don't crush me so and I'll tell you. "

When she had explained that delay in the train had caused her want ofpunctuality, she shook hands with O'Rook, with whom she had renewedacquaintance at the time of his being appointed first mate to herfather's ship. Then she was bid stand up in a corner to be"overhauled. " The captain retired to an opposite corner, and gazed athis daughter critically, as though she had been a fine portrait. 

"Yes, Polly, you'll do, " he said, while an approving smile wrinkled hisvast countenance. "Fit for a queen any day. A _lady_--ha! ha! Haveyou done your duty to Aunt Maria, Polly, eh? Have you made a lady ofher, eh? Have you infused into her something allied to the angelic, eh?Come, now, a rousing nor'-wester!"

With a laugh worthy of her girlhood, Polly ran out of her corner andobeyed orders. 

"Now, my pet" said the captain, seating her on his knee, "here are somekickshaws from foreign parts for you; but before letting you look at'em, I must explain why I asked you to meet me here instead of going tosee you as usual in London. The fact is, I had bin longing to take youwith me my next voyage, and it would have been handier to have you by mehere when we're getting ready for sea, but--but, the fact is, thingshave taken a sudden turn, and--and--in short, circumstances have comeabout that I can't speak of just now; only I'm not quite so sure aboutgoing to sea as I was an hour ago. But you don't seem to jump at thenotion, Polly. Surely you'd have liked to go--wouldn't you?"

"Liked, father, of _course_. I should have been overjoyed to have gonewith you, but--but--the truth is, " she said, with a little laugh and aglance at O'Rook, "circumstances have come about that _I_ can't speak ofjust now. "

"Well, my pet, " rejoined the captain, with a puzzled, anxious look, "we'll _not_ talk about 'em. Now, you must know that I've got up asmall party to meet you here to-night, and expect you to do me credit. The pastry-cook next door has undertaken to send in cakes, and tea, andhot sausages, and buns, at a moment's notice. I expect his man hereevery minute to lay out the spread. Now, who d'ee think are coming?You'll never guess. There's Mr and Mrs John Jack, the father andmother of Edwin Jack--you remember him, Polly? Philosopher Jack we usedto call him. "

"Yes, " replied Polly, in a low tone. 

"Well, they happen to be in town just now with their family, and they'reall coming. Then there's my first mate, Simon O'Rook; he would becoming, only he's come already, a full hour before his time! Thenthere's a Mr Burr and a Mr Buckley, both returned from California withfortunes--"

"A-rowlin' in gold, " muttered O'Rook, in a low tone. 

"You don't _really_ mean, father, that--"

"Yes I do, Polly. I mean that Baldwin Burr and Jacob Buckley arecoming. I met 'em only two days ago in the streets, going about inchimney-pot hats and broadcloth like gentlemen--which they are, everyinch of 'em, if worth and well-doing and wisdom make the gentleman. So, knowing you were to be here, I made 'em promise to come. Well, then, there's your old friend Watty Wilkins, who, by the way, is engaged to bemarried to Susan Trench. I tried to get Susan to come too, but she'sshy, and won't. Besides these, there's a doctor of medicine, whom Ithink you have met before, a very rising young man--quite celebrated, Imay say. Got an enormous practice, and--"

The captain was interrupted by the rattle of wheels outside, and thepulling up of a carriage at the door. 

Polly rose quickly, with a half-frightened look. 

"Don't be alarmed, Poll, it's only the doctor, " he said, going out tothe passage. 

"Pardon my coming so much before the appointed time, " said a familiarvoice; "but I have something to communicate before she comes--somethingvery important and--"

Philosopher Jack stopped short, for he had entered the room and saw thatPolly had already come. With one spring he was at her side, seized herin his arms, and imprinted on her lips what her father afterwards calledthe "stiffest nor'wester he'd ever seen. " At the time, however, thecaptain strode up to our philosopher with a frown. 

"Come, come, doctor, " he said, sternly, "there is a limit to familiarityeven among--"

"Pardon me, " said our hero, drawing Polly's unresisting hand through hisarm; "I had no intention of doing it until I had your consent; butsomehow--I can't tell how--it came upon me suddenly while I was payingmy respects to her in London, not long ago, and before I knew where Iwas, it all came out, and she accepted me, on the understanding that Ishould consider it no engagement until I had obtained your consent. Sonow, I have to ask your forgiveness and your blessing--father. "

Captain Samson stood there, bereft of speech, and O'Rook stood there, the picture of benignity, in a corner. What the former would have saidit is impossible to tell, for at that moment there came an impatientrapping at the door. 

"Hurrah! captain, I could not help looking in before the time, " criedWatty Wilkins, "to tell you that Susan's coming after all. The deargirl--"

He stopped suddenly, and stared at Polly, as if he had applied the termof endearment to her. 

"The ghost of Polly Samson!" he exclaimed, after a breathless pause. 

"Nothing of the sort, my boy, " said the captain, grasping his littlefriend's hand, "but an enlarged and improved edition of Polly Samson, not yet full-bound, but goin' to be, very soon, by Philosopher Jack. "

At that auspicious moment the pastry-cook made his appearance, andcompelled the party to quit the premises. They therefore went for astroll while he put things in order. When they returned, it was foundthat his wonderful powers had made a change little short of miraculous. The floor was swept. Chairs had been introduced on the scene. Thetable groaned, being weak in the legs, under a surfeit of viands. Thehammock had been removed. The fire leaped high, as if desirous of goingup the chimney altogether, and the huge kettle sat thereon, leaningback, with its spout in the air, pouring its very heart out in a joyousdomestic song. 

Need we say that the united party made the most of their opportunity?They spoke of the golden land, of their toils and joys, their successesand losses, and of their Heavenly Father's guiding hand. Theex-gold-diggers, Baldwin Burr and Jacob Buckley, fought their battlesover again, and sang the camp-fire songs. Philosopher Jack sat besidehis mother, who was a little deaf, to explain the miners' slang andpoint the jokes. Watty Wilkins became involved in Susan, and wascomparatively useless; but he laughed at the jokes, whether he saw themor not, and joined with telling effect in the choruses. Polly sang, ina voice that corresponded with her sweet face, two or three of the hymnswith which they had been wont to make vocal the palm grove on the coralisland in the southern seas, and Philosopher Jack related the story ofthe slaying of the bear at Grizzly Bear Gulch. All this was a raretreat to the family from the lonely cottage on the Border, the youngermembers of which had by that time ascended, through Christian exampleand improved education, to a high level in the social scale. Dobbin, inparticular, had become a strapping youth of gentlemanly mien, and wouldas soon have thought of shoe-blacking as of treacle to his bread. Heretained a sneaking fondness for it, however, especially when presentedin the form of golden syrup. 

But we must not prolong the scene. It is sufficient to say that theyhad a glorious night of it, on strictly temperance principles, whichculminated and drew to a close when Captain Samson, opening his Bible, and reading therefrom many precious promises, drew his friends' mindsfrom things seen and temporal to things unseen and eternal. Thereafterhe prayed that neither he nor they should be permitted to forget that aloving Father holds the helm and guides the souls of his people, whetherin joy or in sorrow, success or failure, through time into eternity. 

And now it is incumbent on us to draw our story to a close. 

On the day following the feast Captain Samson called with his chief mateon the writer of the important letter, and found that his principalchest of gold had indeed been fished up from the deep. He and O'Rookwere able to give so correct an account of its contents that their claimwas at once admitted, and thus the captain became possessor of gold tothe value of about four thousand pounds sterling, while O'Rook recoveredupwards of one thousand. This was only a fraction of their originalfortune, but the interest of it was sufficient to supply their moderatewants. 

Going straight off to the Holly Tree, of which a healthy shoot had beenplanted in the suburbs, O'Rook proceeded, according to use and wont, to"comfort the widdy. "

"It's a rich man I am, darlin', after all, " he said, on sitting downbeside her. 

"How so, Simon?"

Simon explained. 

"An' would you consider yourself a poor man if you had only me?" askedthe widow, with a hurt air. 

"Ah! then, it's the women can twist their tongues, anyhow, " criedO'Rook. "Sure it's about dirty goold I'm spakin', isn't it? I made noreference to the love of purty woman--did I, now? In regard of that Iwouldn't change places with the Shah of Pershy. "

"Well now, Simon, if it's the women that can twist their tongues, it'sthe Irishmen that can twist their consciences, so you an' I will be wellmatched. "

"That's well said, anyhow, " rejoined O'Rook. "An' now, darlin', will yename the day?"

"No, Simon, I won't; but I'll think about it. There, now. Go home, it's gettin' late, and if ye happen to be passing this way to-morrow youmay give us a call. "

Thus Simon O'Rook prosecuted his courtship. In process of time hemarried the widow, and was finally installed as master of the juvenileHolly Tree in the suburbs, while his wife conducted the parent stem intown. Vegetables and other country produce had to be conveyed to thetown Tree regularly. For this purpose a pony-cart was set up, whichtravelled daily between it and the country branch. Thus it came to passthat O'Rook's Californian dreams were realised, for "sure, " he was wontto say, "haven't I got a house in the country an' a mansion in the town, an' if I don't drive my carriage and four, I can always drive me cartan' wan, anyhow, with a swate little widdy into the bargain. "

It is, we suppose, almost superfluous to say that Doctor Jack and PollySamson were united in due course, but it is necessary to record that, byspecial arrangement, Walter Wilkins, Esquire, and Susan Trench weremarried on the same day. More than that, the Doctor and Watty socontrived matters that they rented a double villa in the suburbs of thenameless city, one-half of which was occupied by Dr Jack's family, theother by that of Wilkins. Still further, it was so contrived byPhilosopher Jack that a small cottage was built on an eminence in hisgarden, in which there was a room, precisely similar in all respects tothat in which he had first met his father-in-law. There was a hammockin this room, slung as the original hammock had been, and although theold telescopes and sou'-westers and marine stores and charts had beensold and lost past redemption, a good many new things, bearing a strongresemblance to such articles, were purchased and placed on the walls andin the corners, so that almost the only difference between it and theold room was the absence of fishy smells. There was an improvement, also, in the view; for whereas, in the old room, the window commanded aprospect of about ten yards in extent, comprising a brick wall, alamp-post, and a broken pump, the windows of the new room overlookedmiles and miles of landscape, embracing villages, hamlets, fields, andforests, away to the horizon. 

In this cottage Captain Samson took up his abode, rent free, and themoney which he was thus enabled to save, or which Jack insisted on hissaving, was spent in helping the poor all round his dwelling. Here thecaptain spent many happy hours in converse with Polly and her husband. To this room, as time rolled on, he brought a small child, to which, although not its nurse, he devoted much of his spare time, and called it"Polly. "

And oh! it was a wonderful sight to see Polly the second, with her heartin her mouth and her hair flying in the air, riding the captain's foot"in a storm!"

Here, too, as time continued to roll on, he fabricated innumerable boatsand ships for little boys, whose names were Teddie, Watty, Ben, Baldwin, and such like. In this room, also, every Sunday morning early, thecaptain was to be found with a large, eager, attentive class of littleboys and girls, to whom he expounded the Word of God, with many anillustrative anecdote, while he sought to lead them to that dear Lordwho had saved his soul, and whose Holy Spirit had enabled him to facethe battles of life, in prosperity and adversity, and had made him "morethan conqueror. " Here, also, in the evenings of the same holy day, hewas wont to gather a meeting of old people, to whom he discanted on thesame "old, old story. " In all which works he was aided and abetted bythe families of the double house close by. 

Besides his constant visitors among the young, the aged, and the poor, the captain had a few occasional visitors at his residence, which, bythe way, was named Harmony Hall. 

Among these were Bailie Trench and his wife, who were naturallyattracted to that region by the presence there of a slender, loving, sprightly boy, whose name was Benjamin Walter Wilkins, and who bore--atleast they thought he bore--a striking resemblance to their loved andlost son Ben. The family from the cottage on the Border also paidannual visits to Number 1 of the double house (which was the Doctor's), and the various members of that family, being very fond of a chat withthe old sailor, often found themselves of an evening in "the oldstore-room" (as the boys styled it) of Harmony Hall. 

These visits were regularly returned, chiefly in the summer-time, by thecaptain and the families of the double house, on which occasions thecottage on the Border was taxed to such an extent that Philosopher Jackwas obliged to purchase a neighbouring barn, which he had fitted up as adormitory that could accommodate almost a battalion of infantry. Duringthese visits the trouting streams of the neighbourhood were so severelywhipped that the fish knew the difference between a real and anartificial fly as well as their tormentors, but they were captured forall that. 

Baldwin Burr and Jacob Buckley were also among the occasional visitorsat the Hall; but their visits were few and far between, because of theirhaving taken up their permanent abode in California. Only when theycame home on business, once in the two years, had they an opportunity ofseeing their old comrade, but they never failed to take advantage ofsuch opportunities. These men were not prone to speak about themselves, but from various remarks they made, and from their general appearance, it was easy to see that they were substantial and influential members ofsociety in foreign parts. 

From Baldwin the captain heard that Bob Corkey had, during hiswanderings, fallen in with Bounce and Badger, and that these three hadformed a partnership, in which they tried their luck at gold-digging, farming, fur-trading, and many other sources of livelihood, but, up tothe last news of them, without success. There was hope of them yet, however, so thought Baldwin Burr, because of the latest remarks made bythem in the hearing of credible witnesses. Bob Corkey, having attainedto the lowest depths of destitution and despair, had, it was said, madeto his comrades the following observation: "Mates, it strikes me that weare three great fools;" whereupon Bounce had replied, "We're more thanthat Bob, we're three great sinners;" to which Badger had added, withconsiderable emphasis, "That's a fact, " and when men come to this, thereis hope for them. 

The only personage of our tale who now remains to be mentioned is MrsNiven. 

That steady-going female continued her vocation of ministering to thewants of young students, some of whom treated her well, while others--totheir shame, be it said--took advantage of her amiability. In regard tothis latter fact, however, it may be recorded that Peggy proved asharp-witted, tight-handed, and zealous defender of her mistress. AmongMrs Niven's other boarders there was one who was neither young nor astudent. He came to reside with her in the following manner:--

One evening Peggy was heard in altercation with a man in the passage whoseemed bent on forcing his way into the house. The students who chancedto be in their rooms at the time cocked their ears, like war-steedssnuffing the battle from afar, and hoped for a row. Mrs Niven, afteropening the parlour door softly, and listening, called out, "Let thegentleman come up, Peggy. "

"Gentleman indeed!" cried the irate Peggy, who had the intruder by thethroat, "he's only a dirty auld blagyird. "

"Niver ye mind, Peggy, " returned Mrs Niven peremptorily; "I ken him. Let him up. "

Immediately after, there walked into the parlour a bowed, mean-looking, dirty little old man, who, as he sat down on a chair, paid some doubtfulcompliments to Peggy. 

"Oh, Maister Black, is it you!" said Mrs Niven, sitting down besidehim. 

Besides being all that we have said, Mr Black was ragged, dishevelled, haggard, and in every way disreputable. 

"Yes, it's me, Mrs Niven, " he replied harshly, "and you see I'm in asorry plight. "

"I see, I see, " said the good woman, taking his hand and shedding tears. "I kent ye had lost a' by that fearfu' bank failure, but I didna ken yehad come doon sae low. And oh! to think that it was a' through me, anyour kindness in offerin' to tak the shares aff my hands. Oh! MaisterBlack, my heart is wae when I look at ye. Is there onything I can daefor ye?"

Now, it was quite a new light to Mr Black that his relative had notfound him out. He had called in a fit of desperation, for the purposeof extorting money from her by any means. He now changed his tactics, and resolved to board and lodge with her gratuitously. The propositionrather startled the poor woman, for she found it difficult to make thetwo ends meet, even when her house was full of lodgers. She had not theheart to refuse him, however, and thus Mr Black was fairly installed inthe old room whose window opened on the cats' parade. 

In her difficulty Mrs Niven went, as she was in the habit of doing, toPhilosopher Jack, to whom she represented Mr Black as such a sufferingand self-sacrificing man, that his heart was quite melted. 

"I'll tell you what I'll do, Mrs Niven, " he said. "There is a sum ofmoney in my father's possession, the interest of which enabled me to paymy way when I came back from the gold-fields. My father won't use thatmoney himself and I won't accept it from him. We have thereforeresolved to devote it to charitable purposes. Now, we will give MrBlack a small annuity out of it, for your sake, Mrs Niven. "

Philosopher Jack was not, however, so easily deceived as Mrs Niven. Heafterwards "found out" Mr Black, and told him so in very sternlanguage. Nevertheless, he did not stop his allowance. Neither did heenlighten Mrs Niven as to the man's true character, though he kept asharp eye on him. 

Thus did Mr Black become a pensioner and a free boarder. There is nosinner on this side [of] the grave who is beyond redemption. That whichprosperity and adversity had equally failed to accomplish, was finallybrought about by unmerited kindness, --Mr Black's spirit was quietly andgradually, but surely, broken. The generous forbearance of Edwin Jack, and the loving Christian sympathy of his intended victim, proved toomuch for him. He confessed his sin to Jack, and offered to resign hispension; but Jack would not hear of it, as the pensioner was by thattime too old and feeble to work. He also confessed to Mrs Niven, butthat unsuspecting woman refused to believe that he ever did or couldharbour so vile a design towards her, and she continued in that mind toher dying day. 

Peggy, however, was made of sterner stuff. She not only believed hisconfession, but she refused to believe in his repentance, and continuedto treat him with marked disrespect until her mistress died. After thathowever, she relented, and retired with him to a poorer residence, inthe capacity of his servant. Peggy was eccentric in her behaviour. While she nursed him with the assiduous care and kindness of a rough buthonest nature, she continued to call him a "dirty auld blagyird" to thelast. The expression of this sentiment did not, however, prevent herfrom holding more polite intercourse. When his eyes grew dim, she readto him not only from the Bible, but from the Pilgrim's Progress andRobinson Crusoe, which were their favourites among the books of thelittle library furnished to them by Christian friends. And many sageand original remarks did Peggy make on those celebrated books. Thetopics of conversation which she broached with Mr Black from time totime were numerous, as a matter of course, for Peggy was loquacious; butthat to which she most frequently recurred was the wonderful career ofPhilosopher Jack, for Peggy liked to sing his praises, and never tiredof treating the old man to long-winded accounts of that hero's evermemorable voyage to the Southern Seas. 

THE END.