ain was not a person to allow his men to
be idle. The carpenter was at his bench, scattering white shavings
around him; several were at work with heaps of oakum, spinning yarns.
The sailmakers, with canvas spread before them, were plying their
needles; others were making mats, or splicing or knotting ropes. The
painters, with their pots and brushes, were giving touches to the
bulwarks and other parts where the paint had been rubbed off; and every
particle of brass was getting a fresh polish from the ship's boys, who
whistled as they worked. The cabin passengers were collected under the
awning on the poop. In one part, Mr and Mrs Bolton, with their
children around them, were holding school; the younger ladies were
reading or working. Mr James Joel was laying down the law on some
agricultural subject to the young farmer, Luke Gravel. Tom Loftus and
Jack Ivyleaf were smoking their cigars, and arranging some plan of
proceeding which Jack had proposed as certain of success. Mrs Clagget,
though with work in her hands, had forgot all about it in her eagerness
to employ her tongue on her reluctant hearer, poor Mrs Jones. Emily
and May were reading together a book which Mr Paget had lent them. He
had wisely judged that the best way to restore their spirits was to draw
them off from themselves. He was standing near them, doing nothing, an
unusual occurrence for him. Now and then he glanced over the page, and
made some remark, and though perhaps he was not aware of it, he
continued watching Emily's countenance as she read.

"I thought so before, and now I am sure," whispered Mrs Clagget to her
companion. "Well, it's the best thing that could happen."

"But is he going to settle in New Zealand?" asked Mrs Jones. "He is a
mere traveller I fancy, or perhaps he has a wife already."

"I think too highly of him to suppose that," said Mrs Clagget; "though,
to be sure, I do wish he would talk more about himself. I like a person
to be communicative; those reticent people always puzzle me."

Such was the state of affairs on board the "Crusader" when a voice was
heard from aloft shouting the welcome cry of "Land ho! Land on the port
bow!" In an instant every one was on the alert, looking out in the
direction indicated; but though it could be seen from the mast-head, a
considerable time passed before it was visible from the deck.

The captain ordered the seamen to the starboard braces, and in an
instant, the deck, before s