ins of a cruel death, could pray for those who had done Him wrong,
and say, "Father, forgive them."

CHAPTER XIII.

_A TOKEN AT LAST._

The ship that had picked up Colley and Jack Harrison in mid-ocean, and
saved them from the lingering death of starvation, was bound for the
islands of the South Pacific, and the captain told them that they must
be content to be absent from England till the following spring. He had
to call at several of the islands, and exchange cargo, so that even
with fair weather their return voyage could not be made under nine
months.

Poor Colley was slow to recover; indeed, he never did recover fully
from the effects of those terrible days and nights at sea. But Jack
was young and strong, and he and Toby were soon, as old Colley said,
"hale and hearty as ever they were."

Jack earned his biscuit and won favour as well; and the captain's kind
heart was touched by Colley's history of what had happened to his old
mother and his little children at home, and the fear he had that he
should never see them again.

"I am cut to the heart that I can't work as a able-bodied seaman
should," Colley would say. "But God will reward you for your goodness
to me and the boy."

The captain puffed his short pipe, and said:

"I am an old hand now; but I say, Once get a taste of shipwreck like
yours, and you are cured of your craze for the sea. Not that I am
chicken-hearted, and I'd stand to my ship as your captain did--ay, and
go down with her if needs must; but for all that it is a roughish life,
and a terrible trial for them that love you and are left ashore."

"Ay! ay!" old Colley said, "there's the pinch. The youngster's father
made off to better himself now ten years agone, and he's never been
heard of from that day to this. Dead, of course; only the poor woman,
his wife, won't believe it--so the lad says."

A day or two after this the captain called Jack, and said:

"The mate wants a word with you in private."

"What have I done to offend him, sir?" Jack said.

"Don't jump at conclusions, youngster. Did I say anything was wrong?
Be off with you."

Jack went to the mate's berth, and found him sitting cross-legged on
the edge, and looking mysterious.

"Is your name Harrison, young 'un?'

"Yes," Jack said.

"Do you hail from Yarmouth?"

"Yes," said Jack again.

"Where's your father?"

"He was lost at sea--so we think; but we never heard a word about it,
and mother thinks he m