in hopes that she might be," exclaimed Harry.

"The _Steadfast_ would be deeper in the water, and has a new cloth on
her foretopsail, and that ship has not," observed old Tom.

"We should be thankful, whatever she is," said Mr Hart. "Let us return
thanks to God for sending her to rescue us."

The men roused up on hearing that a ship was approaching, and managed
even to get their oars out to pull alongside her.

As they drew near they saw clearly that she was not the _Steadfast_.

The stranger hove to. A person, whom they supposed to be the captain,
asked whence they had come and what they wanted.

"We are escaping from savages, and entreat you to receive us on board,
for we are almost starved," answered Mr Hart.

"You may come on deck, then," said the captain; but that was more than
any one in the boat unassisted could do. Even old Tom, the strongest of
the party, could not manage to clamber up the side. A ladder was
therefore let down, and two seamen descending carried up Mrs Hart and
then her husband. The boys followed, old Tom being the last to leave
the boat, which was then hoisted up, but almost fell to pieces in the
operation.

"You people have had a narrow escape," observed the captain, as he
examined the boat. "You and your wife can have a cabin, though I am not
fond of missionaries, I tell you," he observed, turning to Mr Hart.
"The rest can manage to shift for'ard among the men."

"I shall be grateful for any accommodation you will afford my wife and
me," said Mr Hart. "You see how much she requires attention;" and he
pointed to his wife, who was seated on a hencoop almost fainting. "I
would ask you, too, to allow those two young gentlemen to live in the
cabin; one is a captain's son, the other an apprentice."

"Oh, they can shift for themselves well enough forward," answered the
captain, gruffly. "We are bound for the Sandwich Islands, which I hope
to make in the course of a couple of weeks, and we shall then part
company, as you will then be able to find a vessel to carry you wherever
you may wish to go. I cannot undertake charge of you for a longer
time."

"All I can say is that we shall be grateful to you for preserving our
lives; for I believe, humanly speaking, we should have perished before
many days had elapsed," said Mr Hart. "I do not at present see how we
can repay you, but if I have the power be assured I will gladly do so."

The crew, though rough in appearance and rough s