you say; and besides, you often speak to me of
Jack as your old friend; and if he was your friend I ask you to prove it
by bringing him home."

When Stephen heard this he first thought that Margery was joking, but
the matter was too serious for that; then the idea occurred to him that
she had gone out of her mind; but she looked so calm, and quiet, and
earnest, that he banished it immediately, and promised to think over her
proposal, and speak to his father. He, however, very well knew the
answer his father would give, and he himself had no wish to go wandering
about the world in search of one for whom he cared but little. Had
Margery known what was passing in his mind how she would have despised
him. But she did not; she fancied that he must be as enthusiastic as
she herself was, and that it was only necessary to mention her idea for
him to take it up warmly. She therefore was prepared to wait patiently,
under the belief that Stephen would soon be able to give a favourable
answer to her request.

Margery's belief that Jack was still alive received a very remarkable
and curious confirmation that very day, after she had parted from
Stephen. She was on her way to the village to carry some food to a sick
child, when she encountered a rough sailor-like man, who, taking off his
hat, begged for assistance, as he was on his way to join his ship at
Plymouth, and had spent all his money; and if he did not make haste she
would sail without him. He had come last from the Pacific, and
complained that he had had but very little time on shore to amuse
himself. The mention of the Pacific made Margery instantly ask him if
he thought it possible that her brother Jack might be living, cast away
on one of the numerous islands of that vast ocean.

"It is a very strange question for you to put to me, Miss, for a curious
thing happened as we were steering southward from Vancouver's Island, on
our way home. What should we see but a small boat floating, all alone,
hundreds of miles, for what we knew, from any land. We made towards her
and picked her up, for there was a man in her, or what once had been a
man, for he was lighter than a baby, and that I found out, for I lifted
him upon deck myself. He was still alive, though the life was going
fast out of him, and he couldn't speak above a whisper, and only a few
words then. He had been living on fish, we guessed, may be for weeks,
by the number of scales we saw at the bottom of th