o find help. We, left behind, stared at the
breakers. After three more hours had gone, I saw the yawl coming back,
followed by another small boat, and further off by four royal pilot
boats with sails. I saw them with the glass, that is, from my station
in the rigging. When they came up, all the passengers except half a
dozen, of whom I was one, were transferred to the pilot boats. You
should have heard the jabber of the Portuguese when they came on board!
But the captain had determined to try to save his brig, as by this time
a slight breeze had sprung up, and I stayed with some of the others to
help in the endeavour. When the rest of the passengers were safe on
board the pilot boats, we set about our critical undertaking. Sails
were spread, one anchor hoisted, the cable of the other cut, and we
stood holding our breath, to see whether wind or water would prove
strongest. But the sails drew; the brig slowly fell off before the
wind, and we edged away from our perilous position. Then, when we were
fairly off, there rose a roar of shouts that rent the air; for the
boats had all waited, lying a few rods off, to see what would become of
us. Queen Esther, I can tell you, if I had been a woman, I should have
sat down and cried; what _I_ did I won't say. As I looked back to the
scene of our danger, there was a most lovely rainbow spanning it,
showing in the cloud of spray that rose above the breakers.

'At six o'clock on Christmas eve I landed at Lisbon, where I got
comfortable quarters in an English boarding-house. When I can get to
London, I do not yet know. I am here at a great time, to see history as
it is taking shape in human life and experience; something different
from looking at it as cast into bronze or silver in former ages and
packed up in a box of coins; hey, Queen Esther? But that's good too in
its way. Your father will tell you the news.

'Your devoted subject,

'WILM. PITT DALLAS.'

CHAPTER XIV.

_STRUGGLES_.

Esther sat, swallowed up of excitement, poring over this letter, longer
than she knew; whether it gave her most pain or pleasure she could not
have told. Pleasure came in a great wave at first; and then pricks of
pain began to make themselves felt, as if the pleasure wave had been
full of sharp points. Her cheeks glowed, her eyes sent looks, or rather
one steady look, at the paper, which would certainly have bored it
through or set it on fire if moral qualities had taken to themselves
mate