already know how we lived luxuriously on cocoa-nuts
and shell-fish, and about the clear fountain which rushed up out of the
rock in the centre of our island, and how our ship came back after some
weeks to water at that very fountain, and found us safe and well; and so
I will bring my yarn to an end."

"We cannot be too thankful that you were preserved, my dear boy, when we
hear of the terrific dangers to which you and your brave friend were
exposed," exclaimed Dr Morgan. "I will not now speak of our debt to
him, never properly to be repaid, but I would point out to you all, my
children (what struck me as Frank was speaking), how like the way in
which he and Tom were preserved, is that in which God deals with His
people who put their trust in Him. We are in an ocean of troubles, with
darkness around us. We dimly discern breakers rising up on one side,
breakers ahead. We can do nothing to help ourselves, except pray on and
trust in Him. We see at length a haven of safety before us. Our
eagerness gets the better of our faith, but the current of His mercy
drifts round and away from what is really a peril, and we are carried on
into calm waters, and find shelter and rest from danger and trouble."

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

Note 1. The author has a dear friend, a naval officer, who was, as is
here described, the instrument of bringing some of his shipmates to a
knowledge and acceptance of the truth; one especially, from being an
infidel, became a faithful follower of Christ. His bones lie sepulchred
under the eternal snows of the Arctic pole. How consolatory to believe,
that amid the fearful sufferings that gallant band was called on to
endure, he, with many others--it may be all--were supported by faith and
hope to the last. We say all, for we cannot say what influence he and
other Christian men may have exerted over their companions during the
long, long years they passed in those Arctic regions ere they perished.

CHAPTER NINE.

Several circumstances had prevented the young Morgans from paying a
sufficiently long visit to Old Moggy to enable her to give them her
promised history. Jenny reported that she was better in mind and body
than she had ever known her, and as the time for Frank and Tom's
departure was drawing near, the whole party resolved to go up to hear
her tale. They did not fail to carry a few little luxuries which were
likely to please her.