was at length, however, allowed
to sail for Bencoolen. I was again detained till the arrival of the
_Culloden_, on board which I embarked, and she, as you know, was
captured by a French frigate, and it seems to me that my prospect of
reaching England is as far off as ever."

Harry endeavoured to cheer the unfortunate man, assuring him that he
felt certain Captain Headland would, as soon as he possibly could, come
to look for the _Culloden_, and that he would without fail visit their
island.

"I wish that I possessed your hopefulness, my young friend," answered
Mr Hastings, with a look of melancholy.

Harry after this conversation with Mr Hastings often visited him, and
was always received with a warm welcome. Instead of having suffered
from the exposure to which he had been subject on the night of the
wreck, he, from that day, appeared to gain strength, and was soon able
to walk about, and to visit different parts of the little island.
Whatever he might have appeared to the passengers he showed no
haughtiness when, as was frequently the case, he entered into
conversation with the men. He never failed, when he met Jacob, to have
a talk with him, and make more enquiries about Texford and Hurlston. At
last one day Jacob said:--

"I think, sir, you must know the place."

"You forget, my friend, that you have already told me so much about it,
that I might easily describe it as well as if I had been there," was the
answer.

By Harry's judicious arrangement, good discipline was maintained among
the community over whom he was called to govern, while he induced them
to add to their stock of provisions by fishing and snaring birds, and by
collecting eggs among the cliffs, and shell-fish from the rocks.
Fortunately a cask of hooks had been saved from the Dutch ship, as also
a box of seeds. The islanders had cultivated a considerable plot of
ground which produced vegetables of all sorts, and this was now much
increased by the new comers.

Every evening after their return from fishing and bird catching, the men
collected round the common fire which had by general consent been
lighted in the middle of the village. Here they employed themselves in
cooking and eating the fish and birds they had caught. It soon became
the general meeting place of the whole community. At first the
passengers had kept aloof, but by degrees they were induced to come and
listen to the seamen's yarns, and to join in the conversation.

Harr