to return to the farm before
I came away to sea."

"This is indeed wonderful!" exclaimed Monsieur de Mertens. "Oh, let me
entreat you to describe the little girl to me!"

Jack did so, and did not draw an unfavourable picture.

"The description is indeed like what I should suppose my sweet little
girl to be by this time. Fair, with bright blue eyes, light hair, and
gentle, winning manners; but you tell me that she was the daughter of a
farmer and his wife?"

"For such she always passed," answered Jack; "but often I thought so
rough a man as the farmer could not have so sweet and gentle a child;
and from what I have since heard, I am inclined to believe that she was
not really their child."

"Oh, no, no, I am sure she was not!" exclaimed Monsieur de Mertens,
clasping his hands. "She must be my own dear little daughter! Oh, what
joy and happiness it will be to see her again with her dear mother."

"If I can possibly get leave when we go into port, I will promise to
accompany you to Norwich, where you will, I trust, find Madame de
Mertens; and after that we will pay a visit to the fens and ascertain if
little Elizabeth Pearson is really or not your child," said Deane.

"Thank you, thank you!" answered De Mertens. "But let me look at that
ring again. I cannot be mistaken about it!"

Jack took off the ring, which De Mertens eagerly examined.

"Yes, yes!" he exclaimed; "it is one I myself gave her mother, telling
her that it was an heirloom, and that she should bestow it upon her
daughter. I doubt not that she fastened it round her neck before she
fled from home, that should she and the child be separated, she might
again recognise her by it. And you say the little girl you met was
called Elizabeth? That would be the name of my dear child in English,
and as she could speak quite clearly at the time of our separation, she
would certainly have told those into whose hands she fell her Christian
name, though it is possible that she might not have known the name of
her parents."

As may be supposed, after this interesting conversation, Jack and
Monsieur de Mertens constantly discussed the subject as they sailed up
the Channel. At length the Isle of Wight hove in sight. Each
well-known point and headland, village and town, was welcomed, as the
frigate ran round the back of that lovely island, and at length anchored
at Spithead.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

VISIT TO NORWICH AND TO THE FARM AT THE FENS--A BITTER