could have happened to me to
find myself wrecked on this desolate island without the chance that I
could see of getting off again. And then, after all, to have some of
his ship's company and his greatest friend, as Jacob tells me you are,
sir, cast ashore here to tell me about him, almost surpasses my belief
and makes my heart jump into my mouth for joy."

"I will not ask if you are Jack Headland of whom my friend has spoken,
and for whose faithful care he has expressed the warmest gratitude, for
I am very sure you must be," exclaimed Harry. "He has told me all the
circumstances you have described and nothing will give him greater
satisfaction than to find that you are alive and well. He is more than
ever anxious to discover his parents, and you are the only person alive
that he knows of who is able to help him to do so."

Harry then gave a brief account of Captain Headland's career from the
time since his faithful friend had been parted from him.

"Thank you, sir, for telling me all this," exclaimed Jack. "I have
often and often puzzled my head to call to mind the name of the craft
aboard which I first saw him, and the place she sailed from; do you see,
sir, I had no learning and was a thoughtless lad at the time, and I
never asked questions about the place we had come to, and all I remember
is that the name of the craft seemed pretty nigh to break the jaws of
all who attempted to speak it. Still, where there's a will there's a
way, maybe somehow or other it will come back to me."

"At all events I am sure you will do your best if we can manage to get
away from this place; and Captain Headland will certainly not leave
these seas without looking for us," answered Harry.

The conversation was so interesting that it was not till a late hour
that Jack returned to his hut in which Jacob had been invited to take up
his quarters. The two warm-hearted sailors had so many qualities in
common that they had been especially drawn to each other, though they
probably were not aware of the cause. Utter freedom from selfishness
was the chief characteristic of them both. No sooner had Jacob
Halliburt discovered Harry's love for May than he was ready to sacrifice
even his own life if it were necessary for May's sake, to preserve that
of his lieutenant, without a thought about the destruction of his own
vain hopes, while honest Jack's whole soul was wrapped up in the boy he
had preserved from so many dangers.

The invalid g