of an angel.

"I cannot have the heart to wish to retain _her_ child! To deprive that
mother of anything that can give her pain to lose. Would I could ask her
to forgive my cruel thoughts; forgive the desire to retain this her gem.
But I know she has gone to her home in the skies; she was too pure for
earth. Yes, this must be the mother, the child is so like her."

"The same features, the same expression; and," said the Captain, "I will
use every means of finding out if there is one left of that ill-fated
crew to tell the tale. It will probably be reported in a few days, if
there are any missing vessels, either from our coasts or foreign ports.
In the meantime I will take care to have this discovery registered at
head-quarters, and then if we can discover no trace of her parentage we
may have her for our own."

"Have her for our own! Nep, do you hear that? We are to have a new
sister!" shouted the boy; and Nep, as if comprehending his young
master's words, laid his great honest face on the feet of the child, and
caressed her.

"Please, missus, don't make little Sea-flower too fresh; she be pining
for de sea;" remarked Vingo, as Mrs. Grosvenor proceeded to bathe the
child in cool fresh water; and having brought out the baby-clothes worn
by Harry, she was soon, by the aid of a little new milk, made
comfortable, and, creeping down after old Nep, sat with her hands
buried in his shaggy coat, crowing with delight. The lights at Captain
Grosvenor's burned long into the night of that eventful day, of the
discovery of the Sea-flower, while he related to his wife how they had
found the little one among the sea-weeds, and in forming plans for her
future adoption, should nothing be learned of her parentage, and no
friends come to claim the child.

Soon after the commencement of our story, a fearful storm swept the New
England coast. 'Twould seem as if the rage of the storm-king knew no
bounds; and many hearts there were made desolate in that
long-to-be-remembered September gale. Fragments of wrecks came ashore on
different parts of the island, together with casks, chests, rigging,
stoven boats, etc., which were picked up in various places, and by
various characters. Some would watch eagerly for these trophies of
destruction, and with grasping hand seize upon them, viewing the storm
as sent for their own particular benefit; increasing their worldly
goods, regardless of others' woes. While some there were, who turned
away wit