w and
then. And Eleanor's heart gave a throb every time she recollected that
another day had gone,--so many more miles were travelled over,--they
were so much nearer the journey's end. Her companions found no fault in
her. There was nothing of the princess now, but a gentle, thoughtful,
excellent nurse, and capital cook. On board the "Diana" there had been
little need of her services for Mrs. Amos; little indeed that could be
done. Now, in the fresh air on the open deck of the little schooner,
Mrs. Amos suffered less in one way; but all the party were sharers in
the discomforts of close accommodations and utter want of nicety in
anything done or furnished on board. The condition of everything was
such that it was scarcely possible to eat at all for well people. Poor
Mrs. Amos would have had no chance except for Eleanor's helpfulness and
clever management. As on board the "Diana," there was nobody in the
schooner that would refuse her anything; and Mr. Amos smiled to himself
to see where she would go and what she would do to secure some little
comfort for her sick friend, and how placidly she herself munched sea
biscuit and bad bread, after their little stock of fruit from Sydney
had given out. She would bring a cup of tea and a bit of toast to Mrs.
Amos, and herself take a crust with the equanimity of a philosopher.
Eleanor did not care much what she eat, those days. Her own good times
were when everybody else was asleep except the man at the wheel; and
she would kneel by the guards and watch the strange constellations, and
pray, and sometimes weep a flood of tears. Julia, her mother and
Alfred, Mrs. Caxton, her own intense loneliness and shrinking delicacy
in the uncertainty of her position, they were all well watered in tears
at some of those watching hours when nobody saw.

The "Queen Esther" made the Friendly Islands in something less than a
month, notwithstanding Mr. Esthwaite's unfavourable predictions. At
Tonga she was detained a week and more; unlading and taking in stores.
The party improved the time in a survey of the island and mission
premises and in pleasant intercourse with their friends stationed
there. Or what would have been pleasant intercourse; it was impossible
for Eleanor to enjoy it. So near her destination now, she was impatient
to be off; and drew short breaths until the days of delay were ended,
and the little schooner once more made sail and turned her head towards
Vuliva. She had seen Tonga wi