she."

"No, no, yonder craft is but a mocking phantom. I'm destined never to
see my bonnie home and fair Scotland again," he answered, in a low
voice, speaking more to himself than to me.

There was no use in then contradicting him. Half an hour or less would,
I hoped, show that the stranger astern was a real palpable vessel, with
human beings on board who would relieve our distress, and no phantom
craft. Poor McAllister sank down in the stern-sheets again through
weakness, but continued to gaze at the stranger, as we all did, with our
eyeballs almost starting, in our eagerness, from their sockets.

The stranger proved to be a schooner; and, as she approached, she
appeared to be more and more like the Espoir. There was at length no
doubt about it, but McAllister still shook his head, muttering "A
phantom--a phantom--but very like the craft--there's na doubt about
that." I do not know what he might have thought when the schooner
shortened sail, and glided up slowly alongside our boat. There were
Perigal, and Grey, and Macquoid, and Bobus, and others, looking at us
over the bulwarks. They must have known us by our uniforms to be
English, but they had no idea we were their own shipmates. I guessed
this by hearing Macquoid say to Bobus--

"Who can they be? Some poor fellows whose vessel must have gone down in
the hurricane."

"Hand them up carefully, now," said Perigal to the men who descended
into the boat.

We were all soon lifted on deck, for we were utterly unable to help
ourselves, and we had positively to say who we were before we were
recognised.

The foremost to rush forward and welcome me was Toby Bluff; and,
forgetful of all the proprieties of the quarter-deck, he was very nearly
throwing his arms round me and giving me a hearty hug, so overcome was
he with joy at having the young squire restored to him.

"Oh! Measter Merry, they will be main glad at the Hall when they learns
that after all you didn't go down in that mighty terrible hurricane we
had t'other day," he exclaimed. "I'd never have gone back to see them--
that I wouldn't--I could have never faced them without the young
measter!"

Warm and sincere, indeed, were the congratulations of all our friends.
Macquoid at once took charge of us--ordered us all into our hammocks,
and would not allow us to swallow more than the most moderate quantity
of food, nor to listen nor talk. Owing to his judicious management, we
all speedily got round