hodists in America."

"You are right, my lad; I imagine they would make the world much
of a likeness wherever they might be."

He answered nothing to my observation, but went on:

"At length all our preparations were complete, and we left in June
last in a wretched old craft, called the _African Chief_, so ill
found that she was dismasted and disabled in the first gale we met
with.

"We were captured, or rather rescued, three days later by this very
ship I have just come in, and the hulk was rerigged and sent back
to France a prize, with her unfortunate crew and passengers as
prisoners. From this fate my mother and I were preserved through
the kindness of a French lady, who took compassion on mother as
the only woman on board, and offered to take her as her waiting-woman,
and I was allowed to accompany her. Anything was better than the
certainty of a prison in France."

"What was the lady's name, Kit? I may know her."

"'Pon my word, sir, I am ashamed to say I don't know myself. There
were no others of her condition on board, and she was addressed by
every one simply as 'Madame.' and I never thought of asking my
mother."

"Never mind; go on."

"We were treated with every kindness, and Madame showed every
conceivable consideration for my poor mother, while I made friends
with all on board, and soon learned enough French to find my way
about ship. Madame and my poor mother found the length of the
voyage tedious to a degree, but I loved every hour of it. We
unfortunately ran short of water, as our casks had so strained
during a heavy gale we encountered they lost all or most of their
contents. Besides this mischief, the gale drove us so far out of
our course to the north, that our captain determined to run into
the Baie des Chaleurs for a fresh supply of water.

"This we did, and there found it in abundance; and after the boats
had begun to pass backward and forward, and we were convinced there
was no danger, Madame and mother were allowed to have their wish
and leave the ship for a ramble on shore. At first they stayed
within sight, but gradually gaining courage, they strayed away
unnoticed by any of us for some time. When they were missed, an
instant search was made, and we started through the woods hallooing
and firing our pieces, but without result; at length some of the
sailors, who had been in those parts before, discovered a place
where they said Indians had lately camped. We soon found further
traces