stinct recollection of anything which happened in the boat; but I
remember, as if it were yesterday, that lovely countenance, with the sun
just tingeing her auburn locks as my waking eyes first fell on it; and
though I do not suppose that I had ever heard of an angel, I had some
indefinite sort of notion that she was one; at all events, that she was
a being in whom I might place implicit confidence, and who would watch
over me, and guard me from danger. I put out my little arms and threw
them round her neck, and returned her kisses with right good-will.

Dear Mrs Clayton had faithfully fulfilled her promise of carefully
nursing my little sister, by holding her half the night in her arms,
during the raging of the storm, fearful that any harm should come to her
new-found treasure; and it was only when the sea subsided, and the ship
was more steady, that she would consent to place her in a little cot
which had been slung by her side. In the afternoon all the passengers
were again collected together on deck. We, of course, afforded the
subject of general conversation and curiosity. Speculations of all
sorts were offered as to who we could be--where we could have come from,
and how it happened that we were in an open boat, in the condition in
which we were found. I was asked all sorts of questions; but to none of
them could I return a satisfactory answer. I had some indistinct idea
of having been on board another ship, and of there being a great
disturbance, and of my crying very much through fear; and I suspect that
I must have cried myself to sleep, and remained so when I was put into
the boat. Ellen Barrow had taken me under her especial protection,
though everybody, more or less, tried to pet me, and I was very happy.
Scarcely four-and-twenty hours had passed, it must be remembered, since,
without food or human aid, we floated on the open ocean, the dying and
the dead our only companions; and now we were on board a well-found
ship, and surrounded by kind friends, all vying with each other to do us
service. Sir Charles every now and then, as I passed him, patted me on
the head; and as I looked up I liked the expression of his countenance,
so I stopped and smiled, and frequently ran back to him. In this manner
we shortly became great friends.

"I wonder what their names can be!" exclaimed Mrs Clayton, as those
most interested in us were still sitting together in earnest
consultation. "The boy's initials are M.S.,