rader who had
so cheered her by his simple piety and unobtrusive goodness. Then her
thoughts turned joyfully to home--for the Raymonds' house was home to
her--and she sighed contentedly as the gallant _Esmeralda_, with every
stitch of canvas that could be set, slipped gracefully over the blue
Pacific on an east-south-east course, for it was the month of November,
and light westerly winds had set in.

Two weeks on such a happy ship soon passed away, and then early one
morning the grey dome of Mount Tofua stood out from the mantle of mist
which hid its verdant sides; and ere the sun had dried the heavy night
dews on the gaily-coloured crotons and waving pampas grass which grew
just above the beach, the brave ship dropped anchor once more in Samatau
Bay amidst a scene of the wildest confusion. For Raymond, as he had
stood on the verandah with his wife, watching her sailing in, and
wondering what had brought back Frewen so soon, saw this signal flying
from her spanker gaff.

O
W
S
V

B
R
C

"What does it mean, Tom?" "Found. All well!" he shouted, and pitching
his telescope clean over the tops of the wild orange-tree in front of
the house, he rushed down to the beach, crying out the news as he ran.

Boats, canoes, and _taumualuas_ by the score, all crowded with natives,
who were shouting themselves hoarse, paddled furiously off to the ship;
and ere her cable rattled through the hawse-pipe and the heavy anchor
plunged down to its coral bed, her decks were filled with people, and
Raymond, followed by the old chief Malie, was shaking hands warmly with
"the missing princess" and her rescuer.

*****

It is night at Samatau, and the two ladies are sitting on the verandah.
The house is very quiet.

"Amy?"

"Yes, Marie, dear."

"Tom was asking me this morning if you have yet made up your mind to go
on building that house."

"Oh, dear, Marie. I have hardly given it a thought since I came
back--and I've only been back a week!"

"Amy?"

"Marie?"

"I suppose, dear, that Captain Frewen won't give up the _Esmeralda_
altogether when he goes to America to see his people. He will come back,
will he not?"

Mrs. Marston blushed. "I--I think so, dear. Come inside, and I'll tell
you."

THE END

End of Project Gutenberg's John Frewen, South Sea Whaler, by Louis Becke

*** END