ite-headed man. But now for Smart's
story, which I think it best to give in his own words, as well as how we
questioned it all out of him.

_Felix._--"Ah, Tommy, dear Tommy, how could you run away and leave us in
that bad manner?"

_Oscar._--"Yes, Smart, I don't think we have ever been happy since,
until to-day."

_Smart_ (blowing his nose and wiping his eyes).--"My dear young 'squire,
my darling Mr. Felix, was it not the mistress's orders? But I will never
leave you again, no, not if I am pounded to death by those scums of the
earth, and live to see them rewarded for their trouble."

_The three little girls_ (all in piteous voices).--"And could they hurt
you, dear Smart, so good and kind as you are, and our darling captain?
Oh, make haste, make haste, and tell us all about it."

_Smart._--"I will make every haste, dear young ladies, but I don't
rightly know where to begin. The sight of all your beautiful faces and
my young gentlemen grown into men, and looking so proud and handsome,
makes me in a manner beside myself; and me and the old captain was but
a-saying last night no longer could we bear the trouble, but must do
ourselves a mischief."

_Felix._--"You, a mischief! No, no, Smart, you were always a very good
boy. It's only me was a mischief."

_Smart._--"You are a very fine young gentleman, and be growed; dear me,
Sir, how you be growed. I would not a known you but for them eyes, and
that bit of mischief they have in them. Give me leave, Ma'am, just to
take one good look of you all. My heart, how the young ladies have
sprung up, like lilies on a stalk. Miss Gatty no doubt as free as ever,
only quite a woman; and you, Ma'am, be a sight stouter. Oh, what a sight
this is. Little did we think, ould captain and I, when we seed this
onlucky island agin, little did we think as you was still here. When
they brought us up out of the hold, I knowed the spot in a minute. Says
I to the cap'in, 'Not content with murdering us they mean to cut our
hearts in two. Here's the very blessed place as I saw them all last time
as ever I laid eyes on them.' With that he gave a great shout and has
never rightly been himself since. And, truly, with my own heart nigh
bursting, his'n was a mighty heavy one to bear up. Spite of all our hard
work, we did our best to examine every spot to find traces of you, and
we came to the notion, as you were all gone, through good whiles,
maybees safe, unknowst of our fate, maybees dead; any way, w