he prayers being over, the psalm sung, they waited a
short space for me to give them their texts as usual, but seeing how
sorrowful and weak I was, and so slow in finding them out, they asked to
choose their own texts for this time, which I willingly granted.

They separated to perform their own tasks until dinner time, after which
Schillie and I intended between us to enter into a full discussion of
our present state, and future lot, assisted by Madame, before them all.
"In the multitude of councillors there is knowledge," and tho' many of
our party were so young, yet I have often noticed happy thoughts, and
very sage ideas rise in little heads, and amongst so many might not some
brilliant conception arise, some fresh thought be promulgated which had
escaped the harassed minds, and jaded spirits of the older heads. My
readers shall judge of this in the next chapter.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The meal was finished, everything was cleared away, the two maids were
bid come and form part of the conclave, we were all equal now, and every
one was to have a voice in this council.

Madame began by saying that she thought I was unnaturally hasty in
concluding that we were really left on this island for life. "So many
things, dear Madam, may have occurred to prevent their coming, of which
we know nothing. Besides, Captain MacNab knew that we had provisions for
six months, and he might not like to trust the vessel to the hurricanes
that often precede the rainy season."

_Mother._--"That is very true, Madame, but I don't think the Captain
would willingly put us to such anxiety; besides, he knows that we have
no shelter to screen us from the violent effects of the rain."

_Madame._--"But I think, Madam, we should not so immediately conclude
that he is not coming at all, and that we are inevitably left alone
here."

_Mother._--"I do not conclude so inevitably, but it is better to come to
some decision than to spend our time as we have done the last six
weeks. Had we not spent our days in hoping instead of doing we should
not be in such an uncomfortable situation as we are now. Two children
have certainly got symptoms of ague, and you have a wretched cold and
cough, half our worldly possessions are more or less damaged by the
rain, and should it return, where are we to look for shelter, what can
we do to preserve the goods left us?"

_Madame._--"I have no doubt that the storm of the other night was only
the precursor of the r