must make
friends with Nero, for he has been disputing my right to come near your
bedside, and his teeth are rather formidable. However, I gave him the
inside of the fish when I cleaned them, and we are better friends
already. There is your dinner."

Mrs Reichardt placed before me some of the fish, broiled on the embers,
and I ate very heartily.

"It is very kind of you," said I, "to be working for me, when I ought to
be working for you--but you must not do it again."

"Only my share of the work when you are well," replied she; "but my
share I always shall do. I cannot be idle, and I am strong enough to do
a great deal; but we will talk about that to-morrow morning. You will
be quite well by that time, I hope."

"Oh! I feel well now," replied I, "only I am very weak."

"You must put your trust in God, my poor boy. Do you ever pray to Him?"

"Yes, I try a little sometimes--but I don't know how. Jackson never
taught me that."

"Then I will. Shall I pray now for both of us?"

"Will God hear you? What was it that you said just before I forgot
everything this morning?"

"I told you that there was another here besides ourselves, a good and
gracious God, who is always with us and always ready to come to our
assistance if we call upon Him."

"You told me God lived beyond the stars."

"My poor boy, as if He were a God who was afar off and did not attend to
our prayers! Such is not the case. He is with us always in spirit,
listening to all our prayers, and reading every secret thought of our
hearts."

I was silent for some time, thinking upon what she had told me; at last
I said--"Then pray to Him."

Mrs Reichardt knelt down and prayed in a clear and fervent voice,
without hesitation or stop. She prayed for protection and support in
our desolate condition, that we might be supplied with all things
needful for our sustenance, and have a happy deliverance from our
present position. She prayed that we might be contented and resigned
until it should please Him to rescue us--that we might put our whole
trust and confidence in Him, and submit without murmuring to whatever
might be His will. She prayed for health and strength, for an increase
of faith and gratitude towards Him for all His mercies. She thanked him
for our having been preserved by being left on the desolate rock,
instead of having left it in the boat with the seamen. (This surprised
me.) And then she prayed for me, entreating that she mi