thankful I have been to have so sprightly and sweet a young creature
under our roof, though at first I confess I felt somewhat anxious when
he placed her in my charge."

Mr Farrance turned an inquiring glance towards his host.

"I have but a short yarn to spin about the matter," said the lieutenant.
"Some few years ago, after I had quitted the service, an old friend
offered me the command of a ship bound on a voyage round the Cape of
Good Hope and up the Red Sea. I was not sorry to obtain employment, and
was glad to have the opportunity of making a few pounds, which might
assist to keep the pot boiling at home, and help Sally in her
housekeeping. Having touched at the Cape, I was steering for Aden, when
we were overtaken by a heavy gale, which pretty severely tried my stout
ship. We were about to make sail in the morning, the wind having abated
and the sea gone down, when an object was seen floating a short distance
ahead. On getting nearer, we saw that it was a piece of wreck with a
man upon it. Standing on, I hove the ship to, and having lowered a
boat, watched with interest her approach to the raft. The man was, I
made out, a black. He was holding what looked like a bundle of clothes
with one hand, keeping it above the water, which still nearly washed
over him. His bundle contained, I had no doubt, something of value, or
he would not have exerted himself as he was doing to preserve it from
the sea. It was of value, and, to my mind, the most valuable thing in
creation--a young child, as I discovered when the boat returned with the
rescued man, who still held fast to his treasure. We lifted them both
carefully on board. The black sank exhausted on the deck, making signs
to us, however, to take care of the child. We thought that it was his
own, but when we got a look at its countenance, greatly to our surprise
we found that it was as fair as any European. How the man had managed
to preserve it during the heavy sea which had been running for some
hours seemed a miracle. We carried them both into my cabin. The little
girl, you may be sure, had plenty of nurses. She looked frightened
enough at seeing us, but appeared wonderfully little the worse for the
exposure to which she had been subjected; indeed, although the shawl
which had wrapped her was wet, the water was warm and the black must
have contrived to keep her head well out of the sea, as her face and
hair were only moistened by the spray.

"Though