were at home in their parlour. I often think,
sir, it is a great blessing for a child to be called away early; and
that it is selfish in parents to repine."

"Perhaps it is," replied Mr Seagrave, looking mournfully at his
children.

"It's twelve o'clock, sir. I'll just go down and work the latitude, and
then I'll bring up the chart."

Mr Seagrave remained on deck. He was soon in deep and solemn thought;
nor was it to be wondered at--the ship a wreck and deserted--left alone
on the wide water with his wife and helpless family, with but one to
assist him: had that one deserted as well as the rest, what would have
been his position then? Utter helplessness! And now what had they to
expect? Their greatest hopes were to gain some island, and, if they
succeeded, perhaps a desert island, perhaps an island inhabited by
savages--to be murdered, or to perish miserably of hunger and thirst.
It was not until some time after these reflections had passed through
his mind, that Mr Seagrave could recall himself to a sense of
thankfulness to the Almighty for having hitherto preserved them, or
could say with humility, "O Lord! thy will, not mine, be done." But,
having once succeeded in repressing his murmurs, he then felt that he
had courage and faith to undergo every trial which might be imposed upon
him.

"Here is the chart, sir," said Ready, "and I have drawn a pencil line
through our latitude: you perceive that it passes through this cluster
of islands; and I think we must be among them, or very near. Now I must
put something on for dinner, and then look sharp out for the land. Will
you take a look round, Mr Seagrave, especially a-head and on the bows?"

Ready went down to see what he could procure for dinner, as the seamen,
when they left the ship, had collected almost all which came first to
hand. He soon procured a piece of salt beef and some potatoes, which he
put into the saucepan, and then returned on deck.

Mr Seagrave was forward, looking over the bows, and Ready went there to
him.

"Ready, I think I see something, but I can hardly tell what it is: it
appears to be in the air, and yet it is not clouds. Look there, where I
point my finger."

"You're right, sir," replied Ready, "there is something; it is not the
land which you see, but it is the trees upon the land which are
refracted, as they call it, so as to appear, as you say, as if they were
in the air. That is an island, sir, depend upon it; but I w