ous Providence has been
watching over us!"

It was a rock of a remarkable shape that stood a short distance from the
fishing-pool. It could not be otherwise, the gannets had led us to
their old haunts. We were approaching our island. I looked at my
companion--she was praying. I immediately joined with her in
thanksgiving for the signal mercy that had been vouchsafed to us, and in
little more than an hour had the priceless satisfaction of carrying her
from the shore to the cottage, and then we carefully nursed ourselves
till we recovered the effects of this dreadful cruise.

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

My numerous pursuits, as I stated in a preceding chapter, obliging me to
constant occupation, kept me from useless repining about my destiny, in
being obliged to live so many years on this far-distant corner of the
earth. I had long ceased to look for passing ships--I scarcely ever
thought about them, and had given up all speculations about my
grandfather's reception of me. I rarely went out to sea, except to
fish, and never cared to trouble myself about anything beyond the
limited space which had become my inheritance.

The reader, then, may judge of my surprise when, one sultry day, I had
been busily engaged for several hours cutting down a field of wheat,
Mrs Reichardt came running to me with the astounding news that there
was a ship off the island, and a boat full of people had just left her
and were rowing towards the rocks. I hastily took the glass she had
brought with her, and as soon as I could get to a convenient position,
threw myself on the ground on the rock, and reconnoitred through the
glass the appearance of the newcomers.

I soon noticed that a part were well armed, which was not the case with
the rest, for they were pinioned in such a manner that they could
scarcely move hand or foot. We concealed ourselves by lying our lengths
on the grass. As the boat approached, I could discern that the unarmed
party belonged to a superior class of men, while many of the others had
countenances that did not prepossess me at all in their favour.

We lay hid in the long grass, from which we could command a view of our
approaching visitors.

"I think I understand this," whispered Mrs Reichardt. "There is
mischief here."

"Had I not better run home and get arms?" I asked.

"No," she replied, "you had better not. If we are able to do any good,
we must do it by stratagem. Let us watch their movements, an