that we were able to descend
without danger by night as w ell as by day. I was, however, uneasy about
the way we should bring my wife down, if we found it necessary to remove
her during her sickness; I named it to Fritz.

"Have no uneasiness, father," said he, "Ernest and I are very strong
now, and we can carry mamma like a feather."

"You and I might, my dear boy," said I; "but Ernest cannot be of much
assistance to us at present."

I then related his misfortune to them. They were distressed and
astonished, not comprehending the cause, which I promised to explain.
They wished now, however, to see their brother. Fritz then requested, in
a low tone of voice, that he might go to Tent House, to see if the
vessel and the captain had arrived. Seeing his brothers listening with
curiosity, I thought it best to tell them the affair, requesting them,
however, not to name it to their mother at present. Jack, who was now
about fourteen years of age, listened with the most intense interest,
his eyes sparkling with joy and surprise.

"A vessel!--people from Europe! Do you think they have come to seek us?
Perhaps they are our relations and friends."

"How glad should I be," said Francis, "if my good grandmamma were there;
she loved me so much, and was always giving me sweetmeats." This was the
mother of my dear wife, from whom she had parted with extreme regret; I
knew that a single word from the child would have revived all her
sorrows, and would in her present state be dangerous. I therefore
forbade him naming such a thing to his mother, even if we mentioned
the vessel.

We ascended, and found our dear patient awake, with Ernest at her side,
his hand tied up, and somewhat relieved; though, from not having applied
the water immediately, there were several blisters, which he requested
me to open. It was necessary to tell his mother he had had a burn; she
named several remedies, and I was hesitating which to use, when Fritz,
giving me a significant glance, said, "Don't you think, father, that the
leaves of the karata, which cured Jack's leg so well, would be is
serviceable to Ernest's hand?"

"I have no doubt of it," said I; "but we have none here."

"I know very well where they grow," said he. "Come, Jack, we shall soon
be there; we shall have a little rain, but what of that? we shall not be
melted, and we can have a bath."

My wife was divided between her desire to relieve Ernest, and her fear
of the boys venturing out in