ith spirit
and principle. It is due to Peters, moreover, to add that he was always
true to his island bride. But the occurrence had made Juno acquainted
with the whole history of Peggy; and Bridget, in the few lines she now
wrote to the girl, took care to tell her that the Indian was the brother
of Peggy. In that capacity, he would be almost certain of a friendly
reception. The rest of the note was merely an outline of their
situation, with, an injunction to let Unis direct the movements.

No sooner was this important note written, than Unus hastened down to
the cove. He was accompanied by Mark, Peters and Peggy; the former to
give his instructions, and the two latter to act as interpreters. Nor
was the sister without feeling for the brother on the occasion. She
certainly did not regard his enterprise as it would have been looked
upon by a civilized woman, but she manifested a proper degree of
interest in its success. Her parting words to her brother, were advice
to keep well to windward, in order that, as he got near the boat, he
might float down upon it with the greater facility, aided by the waves.

The young Indian was soon ready. The note was secured in his hair, and
moving gently in the water, he swam out of the cove with the ease, if
not with the rapidity of a fish. Peggy clapped her hands and laughed,
and otherwise manifested a sort of childish delight, as if pleased that
one of her race should so early make himself useful to the countrymen of
her husband. She and Peters repaired to the battery, which was the
proper station of the man, while Mark went nimbly up the Stairs, on his
way to the Peak. And here we might put in a passing word on the subject
of these ascents and descents. The governor had now been accustomed to
them more than a twelvemonth, and he found that the effect they produced
on the muscles of his lower limbs was absolutely surprising. He could
now ascend the Stairs in half the time he had taken on his first trials,
and he could carry burthens up and down them, that at first he would not
have dreamed of attempting even to take on his shoulders. The same was
true with all the colonists, male and female, who began to run about the
cliffs like so many goats--_chamois_ would be more poetical--and who
made as light of the Stairs as the governor himself.

When Mark reached the Peak again, he found matters drawing near to a
crisis. The canoes were within a league of the island, coming on
steadily in l