ace in their sadly-altered appearance of
something we had loved and lost. But the news spread like lightning, the
entrance was left to its fate, every one flocked with their own eyes to
behold that it was really true. The little ones flew into Smart's arms,
and kissed his great face, and welcomed him as a father. The dear
captain still remains insensible on the ground. We poured water over
him, we chafed his hands, we called him by every tender name, but his
insensibility remained deep and profound. It was necessary that
something should check our joy, otherwise we should have been too elated
for safety and prudence.

Two of us watched by the captain, and the others, accompanied by the
not-to-be-lost-sight-of Smart, went to fill up the entrance. It was now
daylight, and in this little instance we saw what it was to have our
dear Smart back again. In ten minutes he secured the entrance far more
safely than we could do in an hour; and all being now right, we
adjourned to our breakfasts, though it was only to ask questions and
give answers, for nobody could eat; but his important communications
must be kept for another chapter.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

With a little girl on each knee, Felix hanging with arms round his neck,
Oscar sitting into his pocket, and we all ranged in a circle before him,
we forgot the pirates, we forgot everything but the present moment. We
almost fancied ourselves once more at home; and thus we sat for hours,
heedless of meals and dangers, listening to and retailing again all that
had occurred since our sad and fatal parting.

The only interruptions were our occasional visits to the dear captain,
whose insensibility had given place to an attack of fever and delirium,
through which Madame had engaged to bring him, if we left her in peace
and quiet to fulfil her own prescriptions. We could not avoid, however,
spite our deep interest in all Smart said, running to enquire every ten
minutes if he was better. And painful was it to hear his broken
exclamations, his cries after us, the mournful repetition of each little
pet name, his agonies for their fancied danger, his remorse and sorrow
choking the prayers and petitions he mixed with all he said. Dear kind
captain, if all you said in your delirium had been running through your
brain once you had parted from us, no wonder that it had at last given
way, and that you now lay before us a wreck of what you once were, a
broken-down, miserable-looking, wh