Mills.

"No, there are limits to everything," returned Christian; "three names
are enough. Come, fill up your cups, lads, and drink to Thursday
October Christian!"

With enthusiasm and a shout of laughter, the toast was pledged in
cocoa-nut milk, and once again Christian's hand was shaken by his
comrades all round.

The advent of TOC, as Adams called him, (or Toc, as he afterwards came
to be styled), was, as it were, the breaking of the ice. It was
followed ere long by quite a crop of babies. In a few months more a
Matthew Quintal was added to the roll. Then a Daniel McCoy furnished
another voice in the chorus, and Sally ceased to disquiet herself
because of that which had ceased to be a novelty. This all occurred in
1791. After that there was a pause for a brief period; then, in 1792,
Elizabeth Mills burst upon the astonished gaze of her father, and was
followed immediately by another Christian, whom Fletcher, discarding his
eccentric taste for days and months, named Charles.

By this time Sally had developed such a degree of matronly solicitude,
that she was absolutely intrusted at times with the care of the other
children. In a special manner she devoted herself to little Charlie
Christian, who was a particularly sedate infant. Indeed, solemnity was
stamped upon that child's visage from his birth. This seemed to
harmonise intensely with Sally's sense of fun. She was wont to take
Charlie away from his mother, and set him up on a log, or the rusty
shank of the _Bounty's_ "best bower," prop him up with sticks or
bushes--any rubbish that came to hand--and sit down in front of him to
gaze. Charlie, after the first few months of precarious infancy, became
extremely fat. He used to open his solemn eyes as wide as was possible
in the circumstances, and return the gaze with interest. Unable to
restrain herself, Sally would then open her pretty mouth, shut her
gorgeous eyes, and give vent to the richest peals of laughter.

"Oh, you's so good, Charlie!"

She had learned by that time to speak broken English in an infantine
fashion, and her assertion was absolutely true, for Charlie Christian
was preternaturally good.

The same cannot be said of all the members of this little community.
Ere long, a period approached when the harmony which had hitherto
prevailed was about to be broken. Increasing life had marked their
course hitherto. Death now stepped in to claim his share.

The wife of John Williams went