are they
not rich like other people?"

"There's a many reasons why, dear," continued Adams, whose knowledge of
political economy was limited; "some of 'em don't work, an' some of 'em
won't work, and some of 'em can't work, an' what between one thing an'
another, there's a powerful lot of 'em everywhere."

Sally, whose thirst for knowledge was great, continued to ply poor John
Adams with questions regarding the poor, until he became so involved in
"puzzlers" that he was fain to change the subject, and for a time they
talked pleasantly on many themes. Then they came to the steep parts of
the mountains, and relapsed into silence. On reaching another plateau
or flat knoll, where they turned to survey the magnificent panorama
spread out before them, Sally said, slowly--

"Sometimes when I'm alone in the bush I think of God. Mr Young has
been talking to me about Him lately, and I am wondering and wanting to
know more about Him. Do you know anything about Him, father?"

John Adams had looked at his simple interrogator with surprise and not a
little perplexity.

"Well, to tell you the honest truth," said he, "I can't say that I do
know much about Him, more shame to me; an' some talks I've had lately
with Mr Young have made me see that I know even less than I thought I
did. But we'll ask Mr Young to explain these matters to us when we
return home. As it happens. I've come up here to search for the very
book that tells us about God--His own book, the Bible. Mr Christian
used to read it, an' kept it in his cave."

Soon afterwards the man and child reached the cave referred to. On
entering, they were surprised to find Young himself there before them.
He was reading the Bible, and Adams could not help recalling his
previous visit, when he had found poor Fletcher Christian similarly
occupied.

"I didn't know you was here, Mr Young, else I wouldn't have disturbed
you," said Adams. "I just came up to see if I could find the book, for
it seems to me that if you agree to carry out your notion of turnin'
schoolmaster, it would be as well to have the school-book down beside
us."

"_My_ notion of turning schoolmaster," said Young, with a faint smile;
"it was _your_ notion, Adams. However, I've no objection to fall in
with it, and I quite agree about carrying the Bible home with us, for,
to say truth, I don't feel the climbing of the mountain as easy as I
used to."

Again the faint smile played on the midshipman's lips