pressing a hope that the storm would soon abate, and that we should be
able to return to the land; he observed only, "we must trust in God's
merciful protection; let us remember that we are in His hands."

Maud and I responded to what he said.

"Those days I spent in solitude in the mountains have, indeed, been
precious days to me, Miss Liddiard," he continued. "I felt like the
prodigal son, who had returned to his father, and the bright gleam of
His smile seemed to rest on me. My only regret was, that I had not His
word to apply to, but many precious verses which I had learned as a
child came back to me, and afforded me comfort and consolation, and then
I could pray as I had never prayed before."

I told him that we had been employed in the same way, and that happily
having a Bible we could turn to the sacred page, and draw comfort from
the ever flowing fountain.

Thus the hours of darkness passed away. The canoe, from the lightness
of her construction, rode easily over the seas, driving, as she now was,
directly before the gale, and we were not pitched and tumbled about as
we had been when the wind was on her side, and we were attempting to
steer for the island. When morning dawned the foaming waters were
around us on every side, and we could just distinguish in the far
distance, almost astern, the dim outline of the island which we had
hoped to reach. Had the weather been moderate the canoe men might have
attempted to make their way towards it, but that, was now impossible,
and we continued to drive on, leaving it further and further behind.
Where we were going we could not tell. The natives knew of no islands
in that direction, and I heard them reminding each other of several
canoes which had been blown off the land and had not again been heard
of.

We asked Mr Norton his opinion. He had, he said, during the last day
he was on board examined a chart, and he could afford us but little hope
that we should reach any shore where we might obtain a new mast and sail
and be able to return the way we had come. "There are islands a long
way off; but as the inhabitants, I fear, are savage in the extreme, it
would be dangerous to land amongst them," he added. "Still, though we
speak of the dangers we may have to encounter, let us continue, trusting
firmly that God is watching over us, and though we cannot yet see the
way by which He intends to save us--if such is His good will--He has
nevertheless got it ready, w