who had accompanied Mr
Hastings. "I can answer your questions. Your son has long been my most
intimate friend, and is now my captain. He commands the _Thisbe_, and I
trust before many weeks are over that the earnest desire of his heart
will be fulfilled, that he will have the happiness of meeting the father
he has so long desired to find. When I discovered Jack Headland, the
faithful guardian of his early days, I congratulated myself that the
only existing clue, as I supposed, on which my friend could depend for
tracing his parents had been found, though I little thought that it
would be so rapidly followed up. I can assure you, sir, that you will
have every reason to be proud of your son, for a more noble and gallant
fellow does not exist; and that he is your son I have not the shadow of
a doubt."

Mr Hastings, begging Jack to follow, retired to his hut accompanied by
Harry, that he might learn from the honest seaman fuller particulars of
everything relating to the boy he had brought up.

Jack seemed to rejoice as much as he did, and to be fully convinced that
he was right in his conjectures. Jack at length retired, leaving the
two gentlemen alone.

"It is, indeed, wonderful, Mr Castleton, that you and my son should
thus have been brought together, and I trust that whatever may occur,
your friendship will continue as warm as ever."

"There is little doubt about that, sir;" answered Harry, "especially as
I hope we shall some day become nearly related, as my friend is engaged
to marry my only sister, though my father objects to the match on
grounds which I consider very insufficient--his ignorance of his
parentage; but now I trust that will no longer be an impediment."

"If my son is really attached to your sister, I have very little doubt
when I plead his cause that your father will give his consent," said Mr
Hastings, in a tone which somewhat puzzled Harry. "It maybe a
satisfaction for you to know that my family is in no way inferior to
yours. More I need not say, as I have reasons for not entering into
particulars."

As may be supposed, Harry was now doubly anxious for the arrival of
Headland, contemplating the joy and satisfaction the discovery of his
father would give him, and he longed also to be able to write to Julia
to tell her the news which would, he knew, tend so much to banish her
anxieties for the future.

Still day after day went by, and no sail appeared to cheer the sight of
the shipwrec