you will be so good
as to keep a silent tongue in your head."

_Gatty._--"If you please, little Mother, why?"

_Mother._--"Why, Gatty, don't you perceive that if we continue to hide
ourselves as we do now the enemy will never guess where we are. But if
you chatter like any magpie, of course they will find us out."

_Gatty._--"Well, I am ready to do anything reasonable and now that I
have had a good reason given me, I'll be as mute as any mole."

_Schillie._--"Who deems a mole like you worth a reason."

_Sybil._--"Oh, little Mother, Gatty has a capital head when she is
trusted."

_Schillie._--"Filled with your notions, I suppose, Miss Sybil."

_Gatty._--"If you please, little Mother, cannot we get off to the ship
to-night; it's quite close, and no sharks to speak of."

_Schillie._--"When your advice is asked, then you may give us your sage
opinions."

_Mother._--"Come, Schillie, don't be so cross to the poor girls. You
know Gatty has given your own advice in almost your own words."

_Schillie._--"Why don't you and those two magpies follow the example of
that good child Serena, and hold your tongues, as she does."

_Mother._--"We shall not be disturbed yet awhile. But what makes you so
cross?"

_Schillie._--"I wonder you don't see what a predicament we are in; and
it is no very pleasant prospect being sea-sick for the next month, let
alone going to sea in this mad way, with only the captain for crew."

_Mother._--"Indeed it is very hazardous. I almost think we had better
not trust ourselves to the sea, but run our chance with the pirates."

"Oh, no, no," said all the girls and boys.

"Now if you make such a noise again, children, down you shall all go
into the mouths of those sharks," said Schillie.

"Then promise not to give up," said they in return.

"I promise nothing," said she.

"Then the king of the pirates will come and take you away, cousin," said
Felix.

Schillie uttered something between a sigh and a groan, and then said,
"You are an impudent boy, Master Felix, and I always tell your Mother
you'll come to no good. But whether she will live to see you hanged or
not I cannot say, for our fate is horrible every way. Just too as we
were getting so comfortable, and having everything so nice and snug
about us. I do not think there is a plant on the island of which I have
not discovered the name and property, and everything grows so
beautifully, and such bathing, besides, such delicious fish, an