all on her than he
exclaimed--
"She's the _Lilly_ herself, or I'm a Dutchman!"
Hastening down to the port, they eagerly put off in the first boats they
could find. As they pulled alongside, none on board knew them. Captain
Trevelyan and the other officers were on deck. Besides Mr Barker,
there was another lieutenant.
"Then they must suppose I am lost," thought Mr Collinson, as he stepped
aft. "I am afraid I am not known," he said.
Captain Trevelyan started. A beam of pleasure lighted up his face.
Fortunately, the corvette was immediately despatched with news of the
capture of the island. She had a quick passage to Jamaica, and Mr
Collinson lost not many hours, after his arrival, in hurrying to Uphill
Cottage. The black cook told Bill, who went up with him on his next
visit, that the young lady did not go into hysterics at the sight of
him, but, although she had been somewhat sad and pale before, her colour
returned, and her voice was as cheerful and merry as it used to be. As
Mr Collinson had been superseded, he did not return to the _Lilly_;
indeed, a few days after her arrival, he received his promotion.
"Now he is a commander, I suppose he will be marrying Miss Lydall,"
observed Bill--a remark the sagacity of which was proved a few days
before the _Lilly_ sailed for England, where Mr and Mrs Collinson soon
after arrived in a merchant-vessel.
Although Bill did not bring home as much gold as he had expected, he was
received not the less warmly by widow Sunnyside and his brothers and
sisters. Soon afterwards, Captain Collinson called at the widow's
house, and left with her a roll of gold pieces.
"Here are Bill's wages," he said. "He attended me as my servant, and I
consider them justly his due; indeed," he added, "if it had not been for
his hopeful and cheerful spirit, I believe that I should have sunk under
the hardships we had to go through."
The next time Captain Trevelyan went to sea, he took Sunshine Bill with
him; indeed, for many years he served either with him, or with Captain
Collinson, whose coxswain he became. At that time, finding an honest
girl who reminded him of his happy little mother, he married, and had no
reason to repent his choice. Ultimately, having improved in his
education, he passed as a boatswain, in which capacity he served for
many years, till he was laid up, like many another noble tar, in
ordinary; but to the end of his days he maintained the same cheerful and
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