y
void of all the sentiment which gives grace to such tricks, as a monkey.

CHAPTER X.

One morning in winter, just as the dean, his wife, and darling child, had
finished their breakfast at their house in London, a servant brought in a
letter to his master, and said "the man waited for an answer."

"Who is the man?" cried the dean, with all that terrifying dignity with
which he never failed to address his inferiors, especially such as waited
on his person.

The servant replied with a servility of tone equal to the haughty one of
his master, "he did not know; but that the man looked like a sailor, and
had a boy with him."

"A begging letter, no doubt," cried Lady Clementina.

"Take it back," said the dean, "and bid him send up word who he is, and
what is his errand."

The servant went; and returning said, "He comes from on board a ship; his
captain sent him, and his errand is, he believes, to leave a boy he has
brought with him."

"A boy!" cried the dean: "what have I to do with a boy? I expect no boy.
What boy? What age?"

"He looks about twelve or thirteen," replied the servant.

"He is mistaken in the house," said the dean. "Let me look at the letter
again."

He did look at it, and saw plainly it was directed to himself. Upon a
second glance, he had so perfect a recollection of the hand, as to open
it instantaneously; and, after ordering the servant to withdraw, he read
the following:--

"ZOCOTORA ISLAND, _April_ 6.

"My Dear Brother William,--It is a long time since we have seen one
another; but I hope not so long, that you have quite forgotten the
many happy days we once passed together.

"I did not take my leave of you when I left England, because it would
have been too much for me. I had met with a great many sorrows just
at that time; one of which was, the misfortune of losing the use of my
right hand by a fall from my horse, which accident robbed me of most
of my friends; for I could no longer entertain them with my
performance as I used to do, and so I was ashamed to see them or you;
and that was the reason I came hither to try my fortune with some
other adventurers.

"You have, I suppose, heard that the savages of the island put our
whole party to death. But it was my chance to escape their cruelty. I
was heart-broken for my comrades; yet upon the whole, I do not know
that the savages were much to blame--we had no business to in