s.

"Near a week had passed away, when Bill Windy, who was aloft, hailed the
deck. A ship was in sight, steering southward. We stood for her, with
a signal flying. She hove to. We did the same. She was bound out for
the Cape. Wishing good-bye to the kind master, who would not receive
even the boat which we offered him as payment for his hospitality, we
went on board the other ship. We were as kindly received as before. We
met with no accident, though we had a somewhat slow passage, till, to
our joy, we recognised the `Crusader' coming out of Simon's Bay. Thus,
Mrs Clagget, ends our adventures. I only wish you had heard them from
my friend Windy, as he would have given them in a more graphic manner."

"Oh, I intend to get them out of him before long," said Mrs Clagget.
"There are a number of things I want to ask him about, and remember, Mr
Charles, that you never go and do so foolish a thing again. You don't
know how angry I have been with you."

"I am much obliged to you, Mrs Clagget, and promise to remember your
advice," said Charles, laughing, as he descended with his sisters to
their cabin, where they might talk of their dear home and the loved ones
there. Charles greatly relieved their minds when he told them that he
had written home, and that he hoped his letter would reach England as
soon as that which conveyed the intelligence of his supposed loss. They
had thought of remaining at the Cape, but Mrs Clagget and Captain
Westerway had urged them to continue their voyage in the "Crusader."
Perhaps Mr Paget might have said something about the matter. At all
events, they had determined to go on to New Zealand, thence to return
home, should they find it desirable. Having recovered their brother,
they had now no longer any doubts about the future, but believed--and
surely that was but natural--that all would go smoothly and happily.

The ship stood to the south, till she again met with the steady westerly
wind, which had already carried her so many hundred miles on her voyage.
A change, however, again came over the ocean. Dark clouds were seen
hurrying across the sky; the sea, hitherto rolling in regular billows,
now began to foam, and hiss, and dance wildly about, the wind carrying
the spray in thick sheets from their curling summits over the deck.
Sail after sail was taken off the ship, till the topsails, closely
reefed, alone remained set, the gale howling and whistling in the
rigging. The waves co