er tall white cap, busied at her wheel, with a far-away,
mournful look in her eyes, which told that she was thinking of her
absent son. Ah! and he saw again even his poor idiot brother, to whom he
had only used harsh words, and even rough blows. "I would be so
different now if it should please God ever to let me see home and my
dear ones again," he thought. And so has many a poor prodigal thought as
he has been compelled to suffer the punishment for his sins, and found
no way to escape from it.

Little by little, there grew up in his heart the purpose of beginning
even now this new life. He would not wait till his return to England. In
this lonely island, with half the world between him and all he loved, he
would strive to be one with them in heart, and to join with them in
prayer and praise. He would seek pardon for the sins of his youth for
the Saviour's sake, and in His strength, begin life anew. He had a Bible
with him in his chest, and he began to read it daily, and in earnest
prayer to seek forgiveness and blessing; then, even in his loneliness,
comfort came to him. He was no longer alone, for God was with him. He
knew that God was his Father, his Helper, and his Keeper, and he grew
calm, almost happy, and was even able sometimes to leave his look-out
over the sea, and make little journeys into the interior of his new
kingdom.

As his mind became more peaceful, he turned his thoughts to the question
of a shelter from the storms of the approaching winter, which, even in
that mild climate, was often accompanied with frost and snow. There were
plenty of trees on the island, and with their stems and branches he soon
built for himself a rough hut, which he thatched with long grass cut and
dried in the sun. This attempt was so successful that he determined to
build another hut at a short distance, so that he might sleep in one,
and in the other, prepare his food. Now that he had once looked in the
face the thought of spending the winter in the island, he grew, slowly,
more reconciled to it, and began to take an interest in preparing, as
far as he could, for its approach.

His huts must be furnished in some fashion; first, he brought up from
the shore his sea-chest, which contained his few clothes; then he cut
and fastened up a shelf on which to keep his Bible and the other books
which he had brought on shore. He had with him a large cooking-pot in
which to prepare his food, and a smaller drinking-can which he had
bro