ber the time when we were children, and so full of wisdom and
experience, that we had long ago ceased to be `innocent and happy.'"

"Without professing to be so wise or experienced, as to be very unhappy
on that account," returned Morton, "I suppose I may say that I am old
enough, and sufficiently changed since those days, to feel, as I now
look back upon them with a sigh, their peculiar happiness, so unlike any
thing that after-life affords."

"How singular it is," said Browne, "that you four who were playmates
when children, should have happened to keep together so long."

"And still find ourselves together on an island in the Pacific Ocean,
thousands of miles from home," added Arthur.

"After quitting school," continued Browne, "I never met with any of my
comrades there. Of all the mates with whom I used on the Saturday
half-holydays, to go gathering hips and haws, or angling in the Clyde, I
have not since come in contact with one."

"It don't seem at all like Saturday to me," said Johnny, who for some
minutes past had appeared to have something on his mind, as to the
expediency of communicating which he was undecided; "I was afraid that
it was Sunday, every thing is so still; but I hope it is not, for Arthur
would not think it right to start upon an exploring expedition on
Sunday, and so it would be put off."

"Truly," said Browne, "that is extremely flattering to the rest of us.
Do you think we are all heathens, except Arthur? I, for one, have no
notion of becoming a savage, because I am on a desert island; I shall go
for maintaining the decencies of Christianity and civilisation."

"Does any one know what day it really is?" inquired Morton.

Max said he believed it was Monday. Arthur thought it was Wednesday,
and added that he had memoranda, from which he had no doubt he could fix
the day with certainty.

"It was on Friday," said Max, "that the mutiny took place, and that we
got to sea in the boat."

"Yes," said Arthur, "and it was on Wednesday night, I think, five days
afterwards, that we landed here."

"Five days!" cried Max. "Do you mean to say that we were but five days
at sea before reaching the island?"

"I think that is all," replied Arthur, "though the time certainly seems
much longer. Then, if my calculations are correct, we have been here
just two weeks to-day, so that this is Wednesday. But," continued he,
"as our heavenly Father has thus guided our little bark safe through
this wild