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It was dear Mrs. Selby who saw how it was between us, and made us know and understand each other. She appointed me her gardener; and her sweet words of praise, whenever I deserved it, enabled my pride to bear the blame when it was necessary, and made it worth my while to avoid a scolding when it was possible; for who does not prefer praise when he can get it?

Mrs. Selby found out the good that was in me, and kept it turned towards her husband, who set me a high example of the quiet conscientious discharge of disagreeable daily duties, which transformed them into sacrifices of a sweet savour.

Before long I became a frequent guest up at the Selbys', beholding, for the first time, the pleasant sight of a happy Christian home, brightened by the presence of woman restored to her throne by Christ.

Ah! if we had only had good Christian mothers! I see that there can be no earthly influence like theirs to make men noble, and to keep them pure.

Yes, I was up there so often of an evening, that Mr. Carter, who frequently dropped in, said he felt quite jealous, and that they were stealing my heart away from him; but he smiled in the most contented and resigned manner, nevertheless.

And, if you want to know how those delightful evenings were spent, I will tell you.

Mrs. Selby played and sang; Mr. Carter read some absorbing book; I looked at pictures; and the Reverend Thomas Selby, tired with work of all kinds, in school and on the farm, sat in the big arm-chair, and, as he called it, "closed his eyes in thought." But sometimes Mrs. Selby had to rise from the piano and shake him, because, as she said, "he had been thinking through his nose!"

One night, on our way back to our house, I begged of Mr. Carter to teach me English while " Percy" was away.

"Ah! Poor deserted Mr. Wakefield!" cried Mr. Carter, "who is there to cook for him, or to take care of him, if he is

ALONE AND FAR AWAY.

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ill!" (For Mr. Wakefield was to spend three days alone in Pombuana.) As he said this, my selfish thoughts flew home, and I imagined my friend-nay, I could see him-sitting all alone, thinking over my desertion of him, and wanting me at that very moment to talk to, and to be with him; or ill, perhaps-but that thought choked me. How cruel did the great wide steep impassable Ocean seem, which had borne him away and kept me from him, as it relentlessly murmured in its deaf unconsciousness at the foot of the neighbouring cliffs, saying over and over, and over again, as if in a dream: "Too far! Too late!"

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IN about five months' time the Aurora came back from the Islands. Mr. Wakefield was there, looking pale and thin. I was afraid to meet him; but, after he had teased me a little, he forgave me for playing truant. There were all the old party back again (except Kui), and there was Rogani! I was wild with joy.

But besides him was another stranger, a tall muscular youth, whom I recognised as Taorémbé, a hanger-on of Malagai's household, already introduced to you. After a general scrubbing of cheeks, this long and important person told me that Malagai had sent him to see if I were really still alive, and to get lots of things. The Bishop did not want to take so big a fellow; but Malagai had said that unless he did go, not a soul should leave the island. So there he was: and, as you will see by-and-bye, nothing but evil came of his presence in Happy Island.

Mr. Wakefield (whose Pombuana had much improved) was full of news about his first experiences in my wild home.

Bishop Curwen had gone ashore with him, but each was carried off by a different host. Next morning the boat came and took away the Bishop. At that moment, he confessed, that he felt as he had never felt before: a sickness, a faintness, fell upon him; and England-Happy Island-all that he had been used to live for and to love-seemed shut out for ever, with an iron bar thrust through his heart. As I listened, the tears filled my eyes, for even I had not been there to help him!

But I pass on to the time when, after another well-spent year in Happy Island, he and I went down to Pombuana together, and Rogani was left behind to study in Happy Island, with Mr. Carter, in the winter school.

Our dear old Cook had left us. himself," which was explained to coffee-house or cook-shop ashore. face but a colder heart.

He had gone to "better mean that he had set up a The new cook had a cleaner

I had become too valuable as a live Grammar and Dictionary to be spared any longer for cooking. Instead of this I set to work in earnest to learn English, and also took lessons in playing the Harmonium.

We wooded and watered at Marianusa on our way down, with the help of Wondres and his people; the Bishop taking charge of one boat and Mr. Wakefield of the other.

After leaving an island called Santa Clara, Mr. Wakefield, with the help of the new, clean, cold-hearted cook, weighed and measured his three months' stock of provisions; for he was going to make a long stay this time as I was with him; and I got out ready for going ashore the things he had given into my charge including a tin tea-kettle, a spade, a frying pan, and a jar of marmalade, made by Mrs. Selby, and stirred by me.

From these bustling preparations we were called by the Bishop for a few minutes of quiet prayer in the after-cabin, with closed doors-prayer for a blessing upon their work, for

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protection from dangers of all kinds, and that the people of the Island close at hand might be well disposed towards him who was about to take up his abode among them, and that their hearts might be opened to receive the Glad Tidings he was bringing to them. This could be done at first only by deeds, not words.

How strengthened, refreshed, and cheered did my dear friends seem after this short communion with the Author of all strength and Source of all comfort! They went at once on deck, ready for the noise, excitement, anxiety, and fatigue which were then inseparable from a visit to my wild people; whose shouts burst upon our ears as we came up with the land -that well known land-my own old home; or, as it appeared at first, the home of a child that I had known, but not myself: so changed had I become in age and character, so completely had I taken hold upon the outward part, at least, of the new life.

Louder and louder roared the voice of the gathering multitude! who seemed with one impluse to have moved off the land and taken to the water, like a flock of wild sea-birds.

The wind was light, and our cautious skipper would not venture too close in shore; so that the ever-multiplying fleets of canoes had to paddle out a long way. But what cared they for that!

As they drew upon us, cries of "Waykayfeeloo! Beesopay! Sambee-rr-ee-e!" were to be distinguished, hailing us on all sides and wild eyes and grinning teeth were soon glaring up at us alongside. We were in the thick of it now.

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The decks began to fill with dripping figures, who surrounded the Bishop and my friend, gabbling furiously, thrusting each other aside, leaping, laughing, and throwing their arms about as if they were beside themselves.

Each one of them was as quick in his actions as a bird, as eager for trade as the white men (I can use no stronger language), and making such a din as Captain Dermott believed

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only Pombuana men athirst for sambeeree could make. Mr. "It was like an enormous school-without a

Wakefield says:

schoolmaster."

As we ran slowly along the pretty shores of my beautiful, bright, green island, the breeze freshened and we fell in closer with the land.

Spreading trees, grassy slopes, brown square patches of cultivation on the hill-sides; here and there a village; the beach with its trailing creepers and fluttering fringe of feathery palm-trees; the glittering air and sky and sea, flooded with the most glorious sunlight, and clothed in the richest, freshest colours such red and blue and green and white and gold, as are not to be found outside that sunny world: all swung and floated by us as clear as a photograph, and as bright as a picture.

Under the giant arms of the cathedral-like trees at the mouth of the passage between Matambala and Uri, we could see the little shed where Talana and I had embarked on our way to Rota, about Aluni, long ago; and thence, right on to Tanasémbé, we were amused at the twos-threes-eights-tensscores-hundreds of hurrying men, women, and children, trotting along the beach and keeping an eye on the vessel; now passing under the shade of the overhanging trees, which mock the encroachments of the sea, and now in the full white glare of dazzling sun and coral sand, trying to keep pace with us, and beckoning and shouting to us to come ashore then and there, regardless of reefs and shallows.

The delight was as universal as the sunshine; and when it became known that Mr. Wakefield was going to stay ashore, each individual in the frantic multitude went especially frantic on his own private account.

When we had got nearly down to the landing-place, the vessel was rounded-to, so that all might enjoy a little trading, without the distraction of the vessel being under way.

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