's invitation to
take a little cruise with him. He was in command of her Majesty's S.
H., which had superseded my brother's ship on the piratical coast.

Accidentally coming across the pirates' vessel, Capt. Bute had given
chase, and pursued her so sharply, that, under cover of the night, he
had got the H. into safe anchorage on the lea side of the island without
the pirates' knowledge. The rest of the tale has been told.

CHAPTER XLVI.

And now we were all on board La Luna, Capt. Bute spared us a crew; he
remains behind to settle everything about the island, and to go
afterwards to the other rendezvous of the pirates, there to rescue the
remainder of our crew should they yet survive. Our captain gave him all
particulars where to find it.

But we were not to be separated from our newly found relatives. Oh no!
they came with us. We collected everything we wished to take from the
island; the children's endless parrots, monkeys, shells, and pet things.
Schillie took nothing, but her last act was to stoop down, and take a
lengthened draught from the lovely stream. Florence, my eldest sister,
made sketches of every place interesting to us, and, finally, we bade
adieu to "YR YNYS UNYG." Seated on the deck we saw the lovely island
fade from our sight, with mixed feelings certainly but no regret. We had
none for it, because we could only think of the happiness opening before
us. The lost were found, the deeply-mourned restored, the mother given
back to her little ones, the fondly-loved children to their sorrowing
parents. There was rapture in these thoughts. No wonder that our little
home, our little haven of so many conflicting emotions, faded from our
sight for ever without a tear from any eye.

We were to shape our course so as to fall in with the Esperanza, which
we did in about ten days. During those days fancy alone can paint the
innumerable questions asked, the pang and half fear ere they were
answered. We lived a life time, it seemed, in those ten days.

We had had no opportunity of restoring our pretty La Luna to her
original beauty, therefore we did not wonder (my brother being on board,
and we looking so practical) that the Esperanza bore down upon us in a
menacing and warlike manner.

We submissively struck our colours, and ere long were boarded by my
brother and Sir Walter Mayton. At the request of my sisters we all
remained below, that they might have a little amusement. But it was
hardly possible