each other, our fate has been
similar; but henceforward I hope we shall not be separated."

Madame Hirtel embraced her kind friend, and observing that the evening
was advanced, and that my wife, after such agitation, needed repose, we
agreed to defer till next day the conclusion of the interesting
narrative. My elder sons and myself followed the missionary to his hut,
which resembled the king's _palace_, though it was smaller; it was
constructed of bamboos, bound together, and the intervals filled with
moss and clay; it was covered in the same way, and was tolerably solid.
A mat in one corner, without any covering, formed his bed; but he
brought out a bear's skin, which he used in winter, and which he now
spread on the ground for us. I had observed a similar one in the grotto,
and he told us we should hear the history of these skins next day, in
the continuation of the story of Emily, or _Mimi_, as she was
affectionately called by all. We retired to our couch, after a prayer
from Mr. Willis; and for the first time since my dear wife was taken
from me, I slept in peace.

* * * * *

CHAPTER LV.

We went to the grotto early in the morning, and found our two invalids
much improved: my wife had slept better, and Mr. Willis found Jack's
wound going on well. Madame _Mimi_ told her daughters to prepare
breakfast: they went out and soon returned, with a native woman and a
boy of four or five years old, carrying newly-made rush baskets filled
with all sorts of fruit: figs, guavas, strawberries, cocoa-nuts, and the
bread-fruit.

"I must introduce you," said Emily, "to the rest of my family: this is
Canda, the wife of your friend Parabery, and this is their son,
_Minou-minou,_ whom I regard as my own. Your Elizabeth is already
attached to them, and bespeaks your friendship for them. They will
follow us to the Happy Island."

"Oh, if you knew," said Francis, "what a well-behaved boy Minou is! He
can climb trees, run, and leap, though he is less than I am. He must be
my friend."

"And Canda," said Elizabeth, "shall be our assistant and friend."

She gave her hand to Canda, I did the same, and caressed the boy, who
seemed delighted with me, and, to my great surprise, spoke to me in very
good German--the mother, too, knew several words of the language. They
busied themselves with our breakfast: opened the cocoa-nuts, and poured
the milk into the shells, after separating the kernel; they a