gonies. Get there alone I could not. Solon
looked up affectionately in my face, as much as to say, "Master, what
shall I do?"

"Go and call Tom," I said, giving him my shoe. He took it, and off he
went as fast as he could gallop.

I groaned with pain as I lay on the ground. I had not long to wait. I
soon heard Tom shouting and Solon barking. My dog quickly led the way
to where I lay. Tom had understood what had happened, and had brought
two sticks to serve as crutches. Even with these I had great difficulty
in reaching the huts. Tenderly as a brother Tom nursed me day after
day. By bathing my ankle with cold water inflammation was kept down,
and to my great satisfaction I at last discovered that though I had
given it a violent wrench no bones were broken. I had nearly recovered,
though still unable to walk to any distance, when one day Tom came
rushing down from the peak almost breathless with haste, and crying
out--

"Mr Marsden--Mr Marsden, a sail in sight! a sail in sight! She is
standing this way from the eastward, and will be off the island in an
hour or so."

My breath came quickly; my heart leaped in my bosom as I heard these
words.

"At length we may be released. I may continue my search for poor
Alfred, and again get news from home."

These and similar thoughts crowded into my head. Then, again, it
occurred to me, perhaps, after all, the approaching vessel may be only
the slaver, or some craft of a similar character. We may be forced to
go in her, and at all events we shall be deprived of some of our
cocoa-nuts. I hurried out to meet Tommy, for I was able to walk pretty
well, and told him my fears.

"Then, sir, I think the best thing we can do is to hide and see what
sort of people they are before we show ourselves," he observed.

I agreed with him, but remarked that, if the strangers came into our
huts, they would at once discover marks of our having lately occupied
them, and hunt about till they had found us. We set to work, therefore,
to remove as far as we could all traces of ourselves. We had pretty
well succeeded in doing this when the stranger came round the point of
the island where we were. She was a ship, with taunt masts, square
yards, and very white canvas.

"I do not know what to make of her; she has a very rakish look, and is
not a bit like a merchantman," I observed, as I glanced at her through
my glass. "Why, I believe she is a man-of-war," I exclaimed, after a
m