antly to the sea-shore to watch for his boat, but
it does not appear. I took Mr Hooker's spy-glass, and Grace and I
spent many hours on Flagstaff Rock, looking out over the ocean. First I
took the glass, then she took it; and so we continued, as if looking
would bring him back, till our eyes ached with gazing on the shining
water: indeed, Ursula says we must not do it again, or we might bring on
blindness, which would be very dreadful. If it were not for Oliver I
think we should break down altogether, but he has such a calm, pious,
hopeful spirit. He assures me, and I know he speaks the truth, that he
yet hopes that Walter will return, or, at all events, that he has not
lost his life, and that we may find him some day or other. He has
persuaded our uncle to let him read the Bible to the party before they
go out to work, and he does so now every morning; and then he offers up
a beautiful prayer for our safety, and returns thanks for the care with
which we have hitherto been watched over by our merciful God.

Again to-day we wished to go to the rock, when Ursula took the spy-glass
from my hands, and said that we might go, but that we must not take it
with us; that it could not help Walter to come back, and that we should
see him without it as well as with it. We had been sitting there for
some time when Oliver joined us. He said that my uncle had sent him to
attend upon us, as he thought we ought not to be left to brood over our
anxiety by ourselves. Merlin accompanied him; and he says that in
future we must not go without Merlin. I suspect that there was some
other reason, because Oliver came with a gun. Perhaps some wild beasts
may have been seen lurking about in the neighbourhood, and they are
afraid the creatures may find us out. Oliver brought a book in his
pocket, which he took out and read to us. He reads beautifully, with a
gentle, yet clear musical voice. His mother taught him, and he says
that she is a well-educated woman, and a very excellent reader. It is a
valuable gift--for I think it is a gift, although it is one which may be
greatly improved by study and practice. Two or three times I stopped
him, however, for I thought I saw an object in the distance which I took
to be a boat. Oh, how my heart beat! But when Oliver looked--and his
eyes are keener than mine--he assured me that there was nothing, and
that it must have been fancy. Again and again I deceived myself in the
same way, and so did