t would be a satisfaction to hear from
him; but since his last long letter, none arrived. News was received
from other sources of a fearful insurrection in the island, but Norah
got no letters from Ellen, and hearing that numerous white people had
fallen victims, she began seriously to fear that her friend might be
among them. The captain wrote to Dublin, but the house there had not
heard from Mr Ferris. At length another report came which added much
to their anxiety, and if found to be true must plunge them into deep
grief. It was to the effect that his Majesty's ship _Champion_, having
sailed from Jamaica on a cruise, had not since been heard of.

"She'll turn up," exclaimed the captain, when he brought home the
intelligence, which it would be useless to attempt concealing from
Norah. The news appeared in print in the public papers, and an opinion
was expressed that she had not been captured by the enemy, it being
thought more likely that she had been capsized in a squall and gone
down, or run during a dark night on one of the numerous reefs in the
seas she was navigating and been dashed to pieces before any of her
people could escape.

"I won't believe it, any more than I'll believe that the _Ouzel Galley_
is lost," exclaimed the captain. "Don't give way, Norah. These
newspapers tell lies; they're published for no other object. I
shouldn't be surprised if we hear that the _Champion_ has never been
missing, and that the admiral has sent her on some particular service;
probably the next packet from Jamaica will give us an account of her
return to Port Royal."

Still poor Norah could not restrain her tears. "I don't believe that
she's lost, Norah. Don't, now!" repeated her father. The captain,
indeed, did his best to comfort her, but it was a hard matter for him;
especially as he himself, notwithstanding his bold assertions, knew how
likely it was that the sloop of war had really been lost. His honest
heart was racked with grief as he thought that the days of his gallant
young son had been cut short. Fresh despatches arrived from Jamaica,
detailing the capture of several of the enemy's ships, the return to
port of various British cruisers, and the arrival of merchantmen; but
not a word was said about the _Champion_. Further despatches arrived,
which appeared in the public prints. A short paragraph alone mentioned
that all hope of her safety had been given up, while another spoke
somewhat pityingly of t