naked savages we have just left, but a very
few years ago. Not fifty years since there was not an island in the
wide Pacific which had risen out of a state of the most complete
savagedom. Now, in the eastern part of the ocean, whole groups have
embraced Christianity. The Sandwich Islands are rapidly advancing in
civilisation, and King George of Tonga, himself a man of much talent,
though once a savage, ruled over a large population of enlightened men,
a large number of whom possess a better knowledge of the Scriptures, and
would be able to give better reasons for the faith that is in them than
would nine-tenths of the population of any country in Europe, England
not excepted."

"Who told you that?" asked Owen; "I have heard a very different
account."

"I heard it from my late captain, who spent three years cruising among
the islands of all parts of the Pacific," answered Elton. "Captain
Harper, too, said the same thing, and neither of them can be accused of
being in the interest of the missionaries."

"Certainly not; I fully believe the facts," exclaimed Charley. "If I
had not undertaken to carry Jack back to his family, I should like to
volunteer to convey missionaries to all these islands. I could not wish
for a better employment for the little schooner or for myself."

"The very thought that was in my head," said Elton. "When our present
enterprise is accomplished, I will offer my services for the work. I
think that a sailor could scarcely be engaged in a better."

Faithfully did young Elton keep his promise.

Just then the man on the look-out exclaimed that he saw an object
floating on the water ahead, but what it was he could not make out. As
the schooner got nearer, the object was pronounced to be a raft, and to
have living people on it. On getting still nearer, it was seen to be
not a raft, but one of the double canoes of those seas, which consist of
two canoes joined together by a platform. This platform extends across
the entire width of both canoes and the greater part of their length.
Several people were on the deck. Some were kneeling, one was standing
up, and others were lying at their length, their heads propped up, as if
in a state of exhaustion. As the schooner hove-to close to them, those
on board her were startled by hearing, among sounds strange to their
ears, the name of Jehovah clearly pronounced.

The people were dark-skinned, undoubtedly natives, though clothed in
garments, e