it."

"It will give me pleasure to tell of my experiences, although it may not
interest you; but before doing so you must partake of food, because I
know what it means to travel through our country. Besides I have ordered
it prepared, and it is now ready."

[Illustration: "_'It is copper,' said John_" [See p. 122]]

"These two men I have with me," said John, pointing to Uraso and Muro,
"are Chiefs of two powerful tribes, who live on a neighboring island,
and they are real friends I found there when these two boys and I were
shipwrecked there several years ago."

"I am, indeed, glad to welcome them. I see that they have adopted the
white man's clothing."

"Yes; and their people who are wonderfully interesting are engaged in
farming, and manufacturing."

Then John told him briefly the history of their experiences, and how the
people on Wonder Island were working out their salvation.

John's tale impressed him most forcefully. "You have made good use of
your talents. Unfortunately, for me, and for the natives here, I was not
able wholly to bring out the people from their low condition, as you
will be able to understand more fully when the story is told." He said
this sorrowfully, and with apparent regret.

After the meal, he continued his narrative: "I was a poor boy, a native
of the State of Massachusetts, and was bound to a whaler as a helper,
when less than fifteen years of age. It was a hard life, as you may
know. I had no education, and I learned the life of misery and sorrow
when I should have been at school.

"But during that and the second year I became hardened, and my
unfortunate physical condition made me the butt of my companions, and
one day, in a fit of resentment, I struck down one of my tormentors,
while in the harbor of Bedford, after which I escaped and made my way to
Boston.

"There, the next day, I found employment on an outgoing ship, that was
in the China service, and two days later, I was gratified to learn that
it would sail that night. I had a much easier berth, and now I found
that among those men I was considered better than a mere brute, and I
became acquainted with a young man who taught me to read.

"This was such a delight to me that I could hardly wait until my daily
duties were over, before the books were brought out, and by the time we
put into Shanghai, I could read and write, as well as perform many
examples in arithmetic.

"I knew nothing of geography, or of any other of