med _The Messenger of Peace_.
And, truly, a messenger of peace and glad tidings did she afterwards
prove to be on many occasions among the islands of the Southern Seas.

But our hero, John Jarwin, was not allowed to remain to see this happy
consummation. He only looked on and assisted at the commencement of the
work.

Many and many a time did he, during that trying period, argue with
himself as to the propriety of his conduct in thus refusing the means of
escape when it was thrown in his way, and there was not wanting, now and
then, a suggestion from somewhere--he knew not where, but certainly it
was not from outside of him--that perhaps the opportunity had been
_providentially_ thrown in his way. But Jarwin resisted these
suggestions. He looked _up_, and reflected that he was there under a
solemn promise; that, but for his promise, he should not have been there
at all, and that, therefore, it was his peculiar duty at that particular
time to whisper to himself continually--"honour bright!"

One morning Big Chief roused Jarwin with his toe, and said--

"Get up. We go home now."

"What say 'ee, old man?"

"Get ready. We go to-day. I have seen and heard enough."

Big Chief was very stern, so that Jarwin thought it wise to hold his
tongue and obey.

There was a long animated palaver between the chief, the missionary, and
the king, but Jarwin had been carefully prevented from hearing it by his
master, who ordered him to keep by the canoes, which were launched and
ready. Once again he was assailed by an intense desire to escape, and
this sudden approach of the time that was perchance to fix his fate for
life rendered him almost desperate--but he still looked up, and "honour
bright" carried the day. He remained dumb to the last, and did not even
allow himself the small comfort of waving a piece of native cloth to the
missionary, as he and his captors paddled from the Raratonga shore.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

DESPAIR IS FOLLOWED BY SURPRISES AND DELIVERANCE.

At first John Jarwin could not quite realise his true position after
leaving Raratonga. The excitement consequent on the whole affair
remained for some time on his mind, causing him to feel as if it were a
dream, and it was not until he had fairly landed again on Big Chief's
island, and returned to his own little hut there, and had met with
Cuffy--whose demonstrations of intense delight cannot by any possibility
be described--that he came fully to underst