r fellow!" murmured Van der Kemp, as he went down on his knees to
examine the limb.

"Don' care a buttin for dat, massa. You're safe, an' Nadgel's safe--an'
it only cost a broken leg! Pooh! das nuffin'!" said Moses, unable to
repress a few tears in the excess of his joy and pain!

With considerable difficulty they carried the poor negro down to the
boat, where they found Winnie, as might be supposed, in a half-fainting
condition from the strain of prolonged anxiety and terror to which she
had been subjected; but the necessity of attending to the case of the
injured Moses was an antidote which speedily restored her.

Do you think, good reader, that Nigel and Winnie had much difficulty in
coming to an understanding after that, or that the hermit was disposed
to throw any obstacles in the way of true love? If you do, let us
assure you that you are mistaken. Surely this is information enough for
any intelligent reader.

Still, it may be interesting to add, difficulties did not all at once
disappear. The perplexities that had already assailed Nigel more than
once assailed him again--perplexities about a negro man-servant, and a
household monkey, and a hermit father-in-law, and a small income--to say
nothing of a disconsolate mother-poetess in England and a father roving
on the high seas! How to overcome these difficulties gave him much
thought and trouble; but they were overcome at last. That which seemed
impossible to man proved to be child's-play in the hands of woman.
Winnie solved the difficulty by suggesting that they should all return
to the Cocos-Keeling Islands and dwell together there for evermore!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let us drop in on them, good reader, at a later period, have a look at
them, and bid them all good-bye.

On a green knoll by the margin of the lagoon stands a beautiful cottage
with a garden around it, and a pleasure-boat resting on the white coral
sand in front. From the windows of that cottage there is a most
magnificent view of the lagoon with its numerous islets and its
picturesque palm-trees. Within that cottage dwell Nigel and Winnie, and
a brown-eyed, brown-haired, fair-skinned baby girl who is "the most
extraordinary angel that ever was born." It has a nurse of its own, but
is chiefly waited on and attended to by an antique poetess, who dwells
in another cottage, a stone's-cast off, on the same green knoll. There
she inspi