my earliest undertakings was to have a good school-house erected,
with a residence for the master and mistress, in the most central
position I could fix on. By giving rewards and encouragements to the
pupils, in a short time there was not a child on the property who did
not attend school.

I consulted Emily, as also my uncle and Mr Hooker, as to how I could
best prove my gratitude to Captain and Mrs Davenport. They managed to
place a sum to his credit at his banker's, in a way which prevented him
from suspecting from whom it came. Shortly afterwards I found, from the
way he spoke of the satisfactory addition to his fortune, he had no idea
that I was the donor.

"Our great wish had been to give our dear Grace a finished education,"
observed Mrs Davenport. "She is already as well informed as most girls
of her age, but probably a few accomplishments would be advantageous to
her. With our increased income we can now afford to send her to a
first-rate school. I have heard of one where the mistress is not only
an accomplished lady, but a pious woman, who watches over the most
important interests of her pupils, and from the account I have heard
from the young ladies under her charge, I feel sure that Grace cannot
fail to benefit by spending two or three years with her."

When Emily found that Grace was to go to school, she begged to accompany
her. I had too many duties to perform to allow me to go to college,
which I should otherwise have done, though already rather old, I
fancied, for commencing a university career. I, however, through Mr
Hooker, found a first-rate tutor, and during the time my sister and
Grace were at school, I read hard every day with him. I found also his
advice of great assistance in my efforts to improve the condition of the
people committed to my charge.

Captain Davenport had not given up the sea entirely; but after making
two or three successful voyages, he so improved his means, that he was
able to retire and live on shore, where he obtained a lucrative
employment.

He had some time before presented me with Merlin, who soon made himself
at home in the house, though he never went far from it, evidently
considering it, as the ship had been, under his especial charge.
Whenever he heard me narrating our adventures, he pricked up his ears,
as if he understood what was said, and wished to corroborate my account.
He lived to extreme old age, amiable and faithful to the last.

Emily, at lengt