me port or
other, and perhaps the _Amity_, which has to be sure been a terrible
long time missing, will come back some day with her old captain all
right."

These remarks slightly revived poor Jessie's hopes, but weeks and weeks
went by and the old captain did not appear. Still she thought that the
_Amity_ might have been captured by the enemy and be in some foreign
port; but the brokers had not heard from Captain Mudge, and even though
a prisoner he would have managed to send a letter. She had long been
expecting also to hear from Ralph. She was certain that he would have
written if he had had the opportunity, but no news came of him. India
was a long way off, and letters were often six months or even a year in
coming, she knew. She was, therefore, though anxious, not alarmed, but
she could not help watching with a beating heart each day at the hour
the postman was wont to pass her door, in the expectation that he would
stop with a letter in his hand.

Months and months passed, none came. Her heart sickened, her cheeks
grew pale. Again Dame Judson was the bearer of bad tidings. "She
didn't wish to alarm Miss Flamank, not she, but she had heard a report
that one of his Majesty's ships had been lost in the Indian seas with
all hands, and she was greatly afraid that it might be the _Falcon_.
There were many other ships, though, on the station, and it might just
as likely be one of them."

Jessie had never before fainted in her life, but she would have fallen
to the ground had not Mrs Judson caught her and carried her to the
sofa. The good woman was dreadfully frightened, for she thought that
Jessie was dead, and that she had killed her by her incautious
announcement. She tried all the usual expedients to restore animation,
and at length the poor girl opened her eyes, but there was a pained yet
vacant expression in them which the dame could not fail to remark.

Mr Barry happened soon afterwards to look in to say that he had the
promise of four or five pupils, but he at once saw that poor Jessie
would be unable to receive them for a long time to come. For weeks she
remained in a sadly prostrated state, attended by Dame Judson, who
looked after her, as she said truly, without hope of fee or reward.
Youth and a good constitution prevailed at length, and Jessie recovered
her health, though her heart seemed crushed, and she was unable to exert
herself as she knew was necessary to obtain a livelihood. Poor girl!