All was explained now that had seemed to us extraordinary in our kind captain's conduct the evening before, and as we hurried down to the beach half in hopes not to find every one gone, we found at the usual dining place, a packet of papers put in a conspicuous situation, evidently meant to attract our notice. In this was a note from the captain, apologizing for departing in such a secret manner, but declaring that unless he had stolen away he could not have left us. That it was of such importance he should go and return ere the rainy season commenced, he could not even afford a day, and that he knew, however cheerful I might talk about the matter, my heart would misgive me, when the time came for him to leave, I might not probably grant him permission to go, when it was of the most vital importance he should. He was right in his last conjecture, the dread that came over me, as I read his letter, and looked at our helpless party, made me feel how truly he had judged me, tho' I so little knew it myself. The other papers consisted of directions, lists of what he had left, and where they were put. Also an account, written from Benjie's lips, as to what trees and fruits might be poisonous, what we had better avoid, and particular orders about the night air, the musquitos; in fact he seems to have left nothing for us to think of, and the papers wound up with many sweet messages to the children, and the dear young ladies, a characteristic speech to Schillie, a hope that the good old lady would not be nervous, or keep the children too long at their lessons, which was a bad thing in hot climates, and a very urgent appeal to all to be careful of her, whose heart was wrapped up in their happiness, to whom the breath of life came ebbing and flowing, according to the welfare and goodness of her precious charge.

There was a letter from Smart to the boys as follows, the spelling being corrected:—

"Honoured Young Gents,

"I hope this will find you, as it leaves me, in good health, but very low in my spirits. I hope you will be good honourable young gentlemen, and obey that good lady, your Mama; and also I hope you will learn your lessons, as a sight of learning is a good thing, tho' I don't rightly know who speaks them lingos as Madame talks. But, chiefly, my dear young gents, I write to say, I am very low in my spirits, and I shall have no peace until I see my dear young masters again. I have been very melancholy ever since that big worm swallowed my two dogs, and I now feel it more, as I should not have left you so uneasy in mind had they been left with you. They were rale good dogs, and would mind you, master Oscar, most as well as me. I am satisfied of one thing, that there is no beere in the hisland, and you won't be eat up, and certainly there never can be another such viper as that there, as took two dogs, swallowing Daisy. But I write, young gents, to beg you to be careful, and to mind them sharks; I have heard they swallow all things, and are particular fond of bright buttons, and jackets like yours, young masters, and also I have heard they have nine rows of teeth, so there will be no escape, like Jonah in the whale's belly. Now I charge you to be careful, woe's me, that ever I be going to leave you. My heart is just broke, but do, master Oscar, be good to your little brother, and don't put on him. He has a high spirit, and it is no doubt cantankerous, but he must be honourably treated, and there's never a finer temper to be seed.

"Well, my hand is weary of this cramping, tho' I have a deal more to say. My respectful duty to the mistress and all the ladies, and my love to the little ladies and Jane. My compliments to Mrs. Hargrave. May good angels guard my dear young masters.

"Your true sorrowful servant till death,
"T. SMART."

Leaving the others still to pore over the letters and directions, I wandered away to a shady nook, to recover the shock, only now did it weigh upon my mind, what a responsibility rested on my shoulders, and, for a time, I was quite overcome with the fears that took possession of my heart. How long I sat I know not, but a hand was laid on my arm, interrupting my reverie. "For what reasonable purpose are you moping here?" said Schillie. "I am very melancholy," I answered. "There is such a weight on my heart, I cannot think how I ever suffered the captain to leave." "And in the name of all that is ridiculous why did you not stop him when you could? Now that it has become impossible, like a spoilt child you are crying for them all back again."

"Don't speak so roughly, Schillie, I am sad enough without being upbraided by you."

"I don't want to upbraid you, but you were so bent on humouring the children it was no use talking common sense to you; otherwise I could have suggested plenty of notions better than leaving a pack of women and children alone on this wretched little island, dull as ditch water."

"Then pray mention one."

"Why what could be more easy, than for us all to wait together, until some vessel came by, and getting them to take us away or take a message?"

"You adjured me in the name of all that is ridiculous, pray may I ask in the name of all that's sensible why you did not mention this before?"

"Because I saw you so bent on your own plans, and because I don't particularly care what happens so long as I am with you, and lastly because it has only just come into my head."

"Well, then, don't scold me any more, but comfort, me, Schillie." "With all my heart, should anything happen to us, it will be a great comfort to think that the captain will come and take away our bones to England, and give them decent burial."

"How cruel you are, Schillie."

"But I am quite in the dark as to what you expect will happen; you are crying your eyes out for some misfortune, but, unless you tell me what you fear, how can I comfort you?"

"I fear so many things; here we are all alone, without a single efficient person amongst us." "Pray speak for yourself."

"Well! then, only you with a spark of courage amongst us; and we don't know what may be here."

"Now, that's nonsense, you know that there is scarcely a fly on the island that will do you harm."

"Well, then, those sharks!"

"And, who is going to walk into the mouth of a shark, I should be glad to know?"

"Nobody, certainly, but supposing a ship should come?"

"Then, we should have company, and a mighty good thing too. I think the society of women and children very mawkish for a continuance."

"But, then, supposing they should not be friends."

"Then that will be their own faults, we are not likely to quarrel with them."

"Stupid you are, Schillie! Don't you understand that they may take advantage of such a helpless party, and, if they are slavers may seize us, and sell us for slaves, and, if they are marauders or pirates they may murder or marry us!!!"

"Well! of those two latter fates one is as bad the other. But, I will comfort you by saying, nobody will want to marry you with that red nose. Really if you go on fretting in this manner, you'll wear yourself into an old hag. I see grey hairs and wrinkles springing up like mushrooms."

"Now, I'll return good for evil, and tell you that I never saw you looking so well; your eyes are quite dazzling, and, as for your figure, it has become slim and handsome."

"You may amuse yourself as you like about my dumpy figure, so long as you smile and are merry; but, come, wash your face in the brook, and let us join the rest. If the girls were to see you with that face they would screech beyond stopping; and, as for Madame, she would go into such a fit we should never be able to bring her round."

So I washed my face, but, in the middle of the business, said Schillie, "You never told me what we should do if pirates and slaves come?"

"Do! Why, of course we would do the best we could. Wait till they come, and then see if we don't do something. For my part I am not going to be sold for a slave, and, as for a pirate's wife, there will be two words about that matter. I don't intend to darn any one's stockings, and I hate ordering dinner, both of which events occur, I suppose, in the establishments of pirates, as well as more homely folk. Come, don't be absurd, we have only six weeks to stay here, and we'll enjoy ourselves as much as we can."

"Very well, I won't bother you any more, but we will join the others, and settle what everybody is to do to pass away the time."

"Pooh! pooh! the time will pass quick enough. Why need ye fuss? But, if we have regular habits so much the better for the girls."

"Nonsense, let the poor girls lead the life of larks for a change, they will never have such another opportunity. You and I will always be together, and you shall talk to me, and Madame may ruralize on that green terrace with her book and big parasol; depend upon it we shall be happy."

"Now, it is my turn to say pooh! pooh! Don't you know that even the larks have to work to get them food?"

"Oh certainly, that I allow. I have no objection to help myself. I can cook a beefsteak and make lobster salad against any one."

"First catch your beefsteak and lobster, saith Mrs. Glass. But here are Madame and the girls."

"We are quite lost without our Mothers," said the girls as they sprang towards us. "Here's Madame, wanting us to do lessons," said Gatty, sending her great thumb right through her handkerchief. "I never heard of gipsies saying lessons and we are now no better than gipsies," said Serena.

"Or people at a pic-nic," said Sybil. "Madame, the next six weeks must be one great pic-nic; do consent, now do; we will sketch if you like, and sing songs, and eat and drink for ever."

"Saucy girls," said Madame, smiling most kindly on them, "but I am sure your Mama would not allow such thorough waste of time," assuming a slight austerity of manner.

"Oh yes she will, Madame," said Schillie, "so betake yourselves off girls, wherever you choose, provided you don't come and bother us."

"Leave them alone, Madame," said I, in answer to her beseeching looks at me, "let them have their own way for a day or two, and you will find them come to you and beg for a dose of the multiplication table."

"Now, that's very comfortable, girls, you have leave to go to the moon if you choose, and, Madame, I'll go for your parasol and book, and you can amuse yourself on that sunny bank, watching us all," said Schillie.

But Madame was much more easily disposed of than the girls, in spite of Schillie's broad hints, and, at last, open remonstrances, that they would go about their own business, not one would stir.

"What's the use of a holiday, unless we may spend it with our Mothers?" said Sybil.

"That's all that we want a holiday for," said Serena, "that we may be with you all day."

"Yes," said Gatty, "this is most jolly, and now you may have one side of the big Mother, and Sybil shall have the other; Serena shall sit behind her, and I'll sit here," throwing herself down at our feet with such force that we both sprang up with pain.

"How do you like this lark's life?" said I, laughing.

"Good lack, girls, do you mean to say that you are going to be such geese, as to sit here all day? Have you no curiosity to examine those caves, no wish to discover figs and plums, no ambition to get on the top of that rock?"

"No," said Sybil, "our curiosity is at a low ebb, our wishes are quite fulfilled at being seated here, and we have no ambition but to remain."

"Indeed, Miss Sybil, your tongue runs very glibly, but if you think I am going to stand the bore of the company of you girls all day you are mistaken, and, good lack, look at my handkerchief, with a hole in it a dog could get through."

"Indeed, I beg your pardon, little Mother," said Gatty, reddening all over, "I thought it was mine."

"And, does that make the matter any better? Can't you employ your fingers any better than making holes in your handkerchiefs?"

"It's a way larks have," said I.

Schillie rose up in a huff.

"Come," said I, "let us all go and have a dip in the sea."

We all agreed to this, and we also agreed we would make an extensive bathing place, where we could learn to swim, and yet be out of harm from the sharks. In this matter every one helped. We rolled stones down to the water, and then, placed them so as to form a wall or pier into the sea, at twenty yards distance; from that we made another, and we sloped them so as to make their ends nearly meet. "Thus," as Oscar said, "leaving only room for a baby shark to get in."

"And we shall not mind that," said ZoË, "for it would not have cut its teeth."

It took us two or three days to do this, but that evening at tea, being heartily fatigued, we agreed to sit still and talk over all we should do.

"Oscar and I intend to fish all day," said Felix, "and you may be very much obliged to us, because it's very—"

"Very what, Felix," said his sister, who loved to tease him, "very tiresome, I suppose you mean."

"No; not tiresome exactly, but very fatiguing."

"Oh very fatiguing indeed, I dare say, and you know you would cry like a baby if any one prevented you fishing."

"Lilly, you are so aggravating, I wish Winny was my sister, that I do, for she is so kind, and it's hard the only sister I have should tease me in this manner."

The faithful Jenny was at hand to take the part of each, and please both, while she put an end to the dispute.

"But, Mama," said Lilly, "if the boys do nothing but fish all day, may we little girls pick up shells; ah you cannot think what lovely shells there are; I am going to make a collection, and I should like to class them all, and, by the time La Luna comes back, I want to have hundreds and hundreds, and I will take them to ornament my garden, or they will look lovely arranged all round the big hall; or, Mama, dear, we might make a grotto, think how lovely it would be! So let us little girls do nothing but pick up shells. Do, dear Mama, do let us?"

"What a little tongue you have, child. Do you think ZoË and Winny would like to do nothing but pick up shells?"

"I am sure I should not," said ZoË. "I must say I rather think, but I am not quite sure, that I shall not like it all day either," said Winny.

"We'll settle that important question soon, but at present I wish to propound to the company at large whether you think Hargrave and Jenny can wait on us all, without a little help?"

"Oh yes, Ma'am," said the smiling Jenny, "we can do well enough if Master Felix does not wet his feet too often, and the little ladies will do their own hair."

"I shall be happy to assist Jane, Ma'am, in any way I can after I have waited on you," said Hargrave.

"I thank you, Hargrave," said I, "but I must do without the waiting on, we must wait on each other."

"I hope not, Ma'am, I have always endeavoured to give you satisfaction, and should not like seeing any one wait on you but myself."

"Yes, yes, all that I understand, but—"

"I beg your pardon, Ma'am, but I cannot think of stopping with you, Ma'am, if any one else, Ma'am, is to be put above me, or take my place."

Hargrave was proceeding, in increased agitation and heat, when Gatty interrupted the business by repeated peals of laughter.

"Pray, pray, Gertrude, refrain, how very unladylike; you laugh like a great cow-boy," said Madame.

"I like Gatty's laughs, they are so merry," said Oscar, "but what are you laughing at?"

"Why at Hargrave to be sure, giving warning here, on this desert island."

"Who will you go to, Hargrave, if you leave your present mistress? The Duchess of Puddleduck? Lady Ape? or Baroness Shark? Ha! ha! my dear girls, did you ever hear anything so absurd?"

"Indeed, Miss Gertrude, I wonder at your manners to a poor servant like me, but I am not going to be put upon any how."

"And who was going to put upon you, my good woman? I meant nothing but that we must all help each other, and that there was no occasion for you to wait upon me as heretofore, while we are in this island."

Slightly mollified, she grumbled out "That it was certainly no use plaiting one's hair in such a place."

"Now, Schillie, what charge will you take?"

"Take! You mean do as I bid you."

"Then, if that's the case, you shall be caterer."

"No, no, that I protest against. Under no circumstances can I undertake dinner, though I fancy one has no great variety here. I'll look after your pet boys, and see that neither of them drown themselves fishing, and I'll take charge of the guns, powder, and shot, and any little odd things requiring to be done I am ready to be called on to help."

"Very good. And you, Madame?" I gave her a warning glance not to say anything about lessons, so, after a pause, she said, "I will undertake to prepare the table for meals, and collect fruit and flowers, with the help of my three little ones."

"Thank you very much, that will be very kind, and now you elder girls!"

"Oh! we'll do as we are bid, except lessons," said Gatty.

"Then, Gatty and Serena, you must always bring the water from the brook morning and evening, and you, Sybil, must see that the children are tidy and that the things all put away in the tent, and you must, all three, help Jenny to wash up the things, and put them in their places tidy. And now then we will all disperse, until eleven o'clock, when Jenny must give us dinner as usual, and then we will all take siesta, and in the evening we shall be ready for no end of fun and mischief. Our dinner may seem somewhat early, but then we were obliged to be up very early to enjoy the cool part of the day." But I will begin my next chapter with a description of our doings.