etting late; then he returned on deck.

"Well, sir," said Ready, when Mr Seagrave went up to him, "I have been
looking well about me, and I think that we have great reason to be
thankful. The ship is fast enough, and will not move until some violent
gales come on and break her up; but of that there is no fear at present:
the little wind that there is, is going down, and we shall have a calm
before morning."

"I grant that there is no immediate danger, Ready; but how are we to get
on shore?--and, when on shore, how are we to exist?"

"I have thought of that too, sir, and I must have your assistance, and
even that of Master William, to get the little boat on board to repair
her: her bottom is stove in, it is true, but I am carpenter enough for
that, and with some well-tarred canvas I can make her sufficiently
water-tight to land us all in safety. We must set to at daylight."

"And when we get on shore?"

"Why, Mr Seagrave, where there are cocoa-nut trees in such plenty as
there are on that island, there is no fear of starvation, even if we had
not the ship's provisions. I expect a little difficulty with regard to
water, for the island is low and small; but we cannot expect to find
everything exactly as we wish."

"I am thankful to the Almighty for our preservation, Ready; but still
there are feelings which I cannot get over. Here we are cast away upon
a desolate island, which perhaps no ship may ever come near, so that
there is little chance of our being taken off. It is a melancholy and
cruel fate, Ready, and that you must acknowledge."

"Mr Seagrave, as an old man compared to you, I may venture to say that
you are ungrateful to Heaven to give way to these repinings. What is
said in the book of Job? `Shall we receive good of the Lord, and shall
we not receive evil?' Besides, who knows whether good may not proceed
from what appears evil? I beg your pardon, Mr Seagrave, I hope I have
not offended you; but, indeed, sir, I felt that it was my duty to speak
as I have done."

"You have reproved me very justly, Ready; and I thank you for it,"
replied Mr Seagrave; "I will repine no more, but make the best of it."

"And trust in God, sir, who, if he thinks fit, will restore you once
more to your friends, and increase tenfold your flocks and herds."

"That quotation becomes very apt, Ready," replied Mr Seagrave, smiling,
"considering that all my prospects are in flocks and herds upon my land
in New South Wales.