n to be thankful that he was permitted thus to die quietly
in bed, and to know that your lives were spared."

"Oh yes, yes! I know," answered the boy, hiding his face in his hands.

It was some hours before Emily could understand that her father could
never again speak to her or caress her. Her brother's anxiety to
console her probably prevented him from so poignantly feeling his own
loss.

The captain and all on board treated the young orphans with the greatest
kindness and consideration. The following day their father's body was
committed to its ocean grave; and Walter and Emily felt that for the
future they must be all in all to each other.

"Yes," thought Walter, as he gazed at his sister's fair and gentle
countenance, "I will watch over her--and die for her, if needs be--to
protect her from harm."

CHAPTER TWO.

THE HISTORY OF WALTER AND EMILY.

The captain and those on board were naturally anxious to know something
about the young orphans, and how it happened that they and their father
had been left alone on board the sinking ship.

"The people would not take poor papa in the boat, and we would not leave
him," said Emily, when the captain first spoke on the subject.

"I should think not," said Walter. "It was very, very sad to have poor
papa so ill, and no one to help him except us. The poor captain and the
first officer had been washed overboard; and the surgeon was killed by
the falling of the masts, when papa was hurt at the same time. He was
ill, though, when we sailed; but he thought the change, and the warm
climate of the country we were going to, would restore him to health.
We had good reason, however, to be thankful we did not go in the boats;
for scarcely had they left the ship, as I was watching them from the
companion-hatch, than I saw the sea break over one of them, and down she
went, the unfortunate people in her struggling for a few instants before
they all sank. I was in hopes that the other, which was larger, might
escape; but she had got to no great distance when it seemed to me that
she went right into a curling sea. Whether she went through it and rose
again I could not discover, for I saw no more of her. It was very
dreadful; but I had to hurry back to papa, for I heard Emily calling me.
I did not tell him what had happened, for I thought it would make him
even, more sad than he was."

The boy, overcome with his feelings, could with difficulty speak, and
was for some m