y anxious.

We kept watching the spot where the schooner ought to have been,
entirely forgetting the repast prepared for us. The cloud seemed to
increase in size, the rain grew thicker and thicker.

"If the schooner is still afloat, she must be in the very midst of it,"
I at length observed, with a groan.

"Of course she is," said Charlie, "and running before it. She could not
possibly beat back in the teeth of such a squall. We shall see her when
it has passed."

When we looked back landward, we saw, however, that the sun was already
sinking below the tree-crowned heights, and in that latitude darkness
comes on almost immediately after the sun has gone down. Still, we
could not tear ourselves from the spot.

We were standing thus when we heard a voice saying, "I have been
searching for you, my friends, for a long time, and could not conceive
where you had gone."

Charlie explained the cause of our anxiety, for I was too much agitated
to speak.

"Trust in God's mercy, my friends," said the missionary. "We must hope
that your vessel has not suffered material damage, though you do not see
her. If she has been dismasted, which is possible, you would scarcely
discern her at the distance she must be off by this time. Her captain
must undoubtedly have perceived the squall coming, and would be prepared
to encounter it."

All he could say, however, did not relieve my anxiety. He waited with
us till the gloom of evening, stealing over the eastern ocean, made us
abandon all hope of discerning the vessel. We then returned with him to
his house, where we were thankful to take the refreshment his wife had
prepared. We hurried it over, as we wished to get back as soon as
possible to the boat.

"I have sent to say that you are delayed," remarked the missionary, "and
I must urge you not to attempt to put to sea till the morning. You
would very probably miss your vessel in the dark, whereas she is sure to
stand back to look for you at daylight. I must advise you to wait till
then. Have your boat hauled on shore, and let your people come up here
to pass the night, as this elevated position is more healthy than on the
lower ground; and I will take care that an efficient guard is placed to
protect her."

This advice was so good that we were fain to accept it. We therefore
returned with the missionary to his house, while he despatched a New
Zealander, who spoke English, to bring up Dick and the men. Having a
gui