ard is with the other men, which will be true enough, and, if
possible, leave her in the dark as to what has taken place. Master
William can be trusted, and if you will send him here to me, I will talk
to him."

"I hardly know what to think, Ready, or how sufficiently to thank you
for your self-devotion, if I may so term it, in this exigency. That
your advice is excellent and that I shall follow it, you may be assured;
and, should we be saved from the death which at present stares us in the
face, my gratitude--"

"Do not speak of that, sir; I am an old man with few wants, and whose
life is of little use now. All I wish to feel is, that I am trying to
do my duty in that situation into which it has pleased God to call me.
What can this world offer to one who has roughed it all his life, and
who has neither kith nor kin that he knows of to care about his death?"

Mr Seagrave pressed the hand of Ready, and went down without making any
reply. He found that his wife had been asleep for the last hour, and
was not yet awake. The children were also quiet in their beds. Juno
and William were the only two who were sitting up.

William made a sign to his father that his mother was asleep, and then
said in a whisper, "I did not like to leave the cabin while you were on
deck, but the steward has not been here these two hours: he went to milk
the goat for baby and has not returned. We have had no breakfast, none
of us."

"William, go on deck," replied his father; "Ready wishes to speak to
you."

William went on deck to Ready, who explained to him the position in
which they were placed; he pointed out to him the necessity of his doing
all he could to assist his father and him, and not to alarm his mother
in her precarious state of health. William, who, as it may be expected,
looked very grave, did, however, immediately enter into Ready's views,
and proceeded to do his best. "The steward," said he, "has left with
the other men, and when my mother wakes she will ask why the children
have had no breakfast. What can I do?"

"I think you can milk one of the goats if I show you how, while I go and
get the other things ready; I can leave the deck, for you see the ship
steers herself very nicely;--and, William, I have sounded the well just
before you came up, and I don't think she makes much water; and,"
continued he, looking round him, and up above, "we shall have fine
weather, and a smooth sea before night."

By the unite