de, they were much less time reaching the station than we had been,
and soon arrived. Of course, Dick was very much grieved to hear of our
anxiety about the schooner. The missionaries and their wives did their
best to draw our thoughts away from our friends, by describing the
progress of the work they had undertaken. Their object was, they told
us, to collect young and intelligent natives from the different islands,
and to endeavour to instruct them in the truths of Christianity. When
their education was completed, if they exhibited a right missionary
spirit, they were sent back to diffuse the truths of Christianity among
their fellow-islanders.

It was deeply interesting to see a number of natives brought from among
the most savage races, gentle and civilised, and apparently imbued with
true Christian principles. They were all clothed in shirts and
trousers, and looked as different as possible to the savages we had met
with, though of the same race, and a few years ago were exactly like
them.

We sat up for some time, hoping against hope that we might hear a gun
fired from the schooner, as a signal to us that she was in the offing.
Several times we looked out over the ocean, now sleeping in calm repose,
but no sign of the schooner could be discovered.

At last the missionary advised us to take some rest. He had a
guest-room in which, he said, beds were prepared for Charlie, Dick, and
me, while some shake-downs of leaves and grass were made up in an
outhouse for the crew of our boat. I kept continually starting up,
fancying that I heard a gun fire. Again when I slept I pictured to
myself vividly the schooner struck by the squall, and going down beneath
the surface.

As soon as morning broke we were all on foot, and hurried to the
look-out place, whence we earnestly hoped that we might see the
schooner; but not a sail was in sight above the distant horizon. The
Christian converts were gathered for prayer, and we joined them, though
unable to understand what was said. When our early breakfast was over,
I again hurried out to look for the schooner. Still, as far as eye
could reach, there was no appearance of her. I felt that, as I was in
command of the boat, I must decide what was to be done, though I wished
to consult my companions and have their opinion. I proposed that we
should, without loss of time, proceed in the boat to some of the
neighbouring islands to search for her, believing it possible that s