at all," replied her mother. "You are
accustomed to certain things, and you would feel the want of them. For
instance, will you have bread like this out there? wheat bread?"

"I shall not want chocolate," said Eleanor. "The climate is too hot."

"But bread?"

"Wheat flour is shipped for the use of the mission families," said Mrs.
Caxton. "It is known that many persons would suffer without it; and we
do not wish unnecessary suffering should be undergone."

"Have they cows there?"

"Mamma!" said Eleanor laughing.

"Well, have they? Because Miss Broadus or somebody was saying the other
day, that in New Zealand they never had them till we sent them out. So
I wondered directly whether they had in this place."

"I fancy not, mamma. You will have to think of me as drinking my tea
without cream."

"So you will take tea there with you?"

"Why not?"

"I have got the impression," said Mrs. Powle, "somehow, that you would
do nothing as other people do. You will drink tea, will you? I'll give
you a box."

"Thank you, mamma," said Eleanor, but the colour flushed now to the
roots of her hair,--"aunt Caxton has given me a great stock already."

"And coffee?"

"Yes, mamma--for great occasions--and concentrated milk for that."

"Do tell me what sort of a place it is, Eleanor."

"It is a great many places, mamma. It is a great many islands, large
and small, scattered over some hundreds of miles of ocean; but they are
so many and near each other often, and so surrounded with interlacing
coral reefs, that navigation there is in a kind of network of channels.
The islands are of many varieties, and of fairy-land beauty; rich in
vegetation and in all sorts of natural stores."

"Not cows."

"No, ma'am. I meant, the things that grow out of the ground," said
Eleanor smiling again. "Cows and sheep and horses are not among them."

"Nor horses either? How do you go when you travel?"

"In a canoe, I suppose."

"With savages?" exclaimed Mrs. Powle.

"Not necessarily. Many of them are Christians."

"The natives?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then I don't see what you are going for. Those that are Christians
already might teach those that are not. But Eleanor, who will marry
you?"

A bright rose-colour came upon the girl's cheeks. "Mamma, there are
clergymen enough there."

"_Clergymen?_ of the Church?"

"I beg your pardon, mamma; no. That is not essential?"

"Well, that is as you look at things. I know you and my sister Caxton