but
she was easily persuaded that this difference might arise from their
convalescence. The young man immediately became a great favorite; and
the old lady would rather have shared her own apartments with him,
than allow him to quit the house; he consequently remained."

"What, then, became of the pistols and the French horn?" inquired
Jack.

"From that time on there sprung up a close friendship between the two;
he was induced by her to convert his weapons of war into
pharmacopoeas. Always, when she made some nice compound of jelly and
cream, he had a share of it; he, on his side, scarcely ever passed her
door without softening his tread; and both himself and his dog
managed, eventually, to acquire the favor of the old lady's pug."

"He appears to have been one of those medical gentlemen WHO profess to
cure every conceivable disease by one kind of medicine."

"And who generally contrive to remove both the disease and the patient
at the same time."

"You mistake the individual altogether; he is now one of the most
esteemed physicians in London, remarkable alike for his skill and
benevolence. It is even strongly suspected by his friends that he is
not a little indebted for his present eminent position to his first
patients--the canary and the gold-fish."

It was now the usual hour for retiring to rest. After the evening
prayer, which Mary and Sophia said alternately aloud, Willis and the
four brothers prepared to start for Shark's Island, to pass their
first night in the store-room and cattle-shed that had been erected
there. Of course they could not expect to be so comfortable in such
quarters as at Rockhouse or Falcon's Nest; but then novelty is to
young people what ease is to the aged. Black bread appears delicious
to those who habitually eat white; and we ourselves have seen
high-bred ladies delighted when they found themselves compelled to
dine in a wretched hovel of the Tyrol--true, they were certain of a
luxurious supper at Inspruck. So grief breaks the monotony of joy,
just as a rock gives repose to level plain.

Whilst the pinnace was gradually leaving the shore, loaded with
mattresses and other movables adapted for a temporary encampment,
Jack signalled a parting adieu to Sophia, and, putting his fingers to
his lips, seemed to enjoin silence.

"All right, Master Jack," cried she.

"What is all this signalling about?" inquired Mrs. Wolston.

"A secret," said the young girl, leaping with joy; "I have