uthorities. Ayrton remained mute.

"The _Duncan_ continued her voyage along the thirty-seventh parallel.
In the meanwhile, Lady Glenarvan undertook to vanquish the resistance
of the ruffian.

"At last, her influence prevailed, and Ayrton, in exchange for what he
could tell, proposed that Lord Glenarvan should leave him on some
island in the Pacific, instead of giving him up to the English
authorities. Lord Glenarvan, resolving to do anything to obtain
information about Captain Grant, consented.

"Ayrton then related all his life, and it was certain that he knew
nothing from the day on which Captain Grant had landed him on the
Australian coast.

"Nevertheless, Lord Glenarvan kept the promise which he had given. The
_Duncan_ continued her voyage and arrived at Tabor Island. It was
there that Ayrton was to be landed, and it was there also that, by a
veritable miracle, they found Captain Grant and two men, exactly on
the thirty-seventh parallel.

"The convict, then, went to take their place on this desert islet, and
at the moment he left the yacht these words were pronounced by Lord
Glenarvan:--

"'Here, Ayrton, you will be far from any land, and without any
possible communication with your fellow-creatures. You cannot escape
from this islet on which the _Duncan_ leaves you. You will be alone,
under the eye of a God who reads the depths of the heart; but you will
be neither lost nor forgotten, as was Captain Grant. Unworthy as you
are to be remembered by men, men will remember you. I know where you
are, Ayrton, and I know where to find you. I will never forget it!'

"And the _Duncan_, making sail, soon disappeared. This was on the 18th
of March 1855.[2]

[2] The events which have just been briefly related are taken
from a work which some of our readers have no doubt read, and
which is entitled _Captain Grant's Children_. They will
remark on this occasion, as well as later, some discrepancy
in the dates: but later again, they will understand why the
real dates were not at first given.

"Ayrton was alone, but he had no want of either ammunition, weapons,
tools, or seeds.

"At his, the convict's disposal, was the house built by honest Captain
Grant. He had only to live and expiate in solitude the crimes which he
had committed.

"Gentlemen, he repented, he was ashamed of his crimes and was very
miserable! He said to himself, that if men came some day to take him
from that islet, he must b