Henry James - "Madame de Mauves"

Thomas Hardy - "Late Lyrics and Earlier"

Richard Johnson - "An Address to the Inhabitants Of The Colonies, established in"

Wilkie Collins - "Antonina"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Little Savage

C >> Captain Marryat >> The Little Savage




"Of course I do; why should I not be?" replied I; "I shall be always
happy."

The Missionary's wife shook her head. "I fear not. Indeed, I think
if you live long enough, you will acknowledge that the happiest of
your days were passed on this barren rock."

"Jackson said otherwise," replied I. "He was always grieving at
being on the island, and not able to get back to England, and he told
me so many stories about England, and what is done there, and what a
beautiful place it is, that I'm sure I shall like it better than
being here, even if I had somebody with me."

"Well, you are in the hands of God, and you must put your trust in
him. He will do with you as he thinks best for you--that you know, as
you read your Bible."

"No, I didn't know that," replied I. "God lives beyond the stars, a
long way off."

"Is that all you have gained by reading your Bible?" inquired she,
looking me in the face.

"No, not all," replied I; "but I do not understand a great deal that
I read, I want some one to tell me. I am so glad you came with the
men in the boat, for I never saw a woman before. I used to see
somebody in my dreams, and now I know it was a woman. It was my
mother, but I have not seen her for a long while now, and I have
nobody but Nero."

"My poor boy, you have a father in heaven."

"Yes," replied I; "I know he is in heaven, and so is my mother, for
Jackson said that they were both very good."

"I mean your Heavenly Father, God. Do you not say in the Lord's
Prayer, 'Our Father which art in heaven.' You must love him."

I was about to reply, when John Gough, the mate, came up, and told
my companion that he had been speaking to the men, and they had
agreed that the day after the next they would, if the weather
permitted, leave the island; that they had examined the boat, and
found it required very little repair, and that all would be ready the
next day.

"I hope that they will not overload the boat," said she.

"I fear that they will, but I must do all I can to prevent it. The
cask of rum was rather an unfortunate discovery, and we had been
better without it. Leave it they will not, so we must put out of the
boat all that we can possibly do without, for we shall be nine of us,
and that will be plenty of weight with the addition of the cask."

"You promised to take my chest, you remember," said I.

"Yes, I will do so if I possibly can; but recollect, I may not be
able to keep my promise--for now that they have the liquor, the men
do not obey me as they did before, ma'am," said the mate. "Perhaps he
had better take the best of his clothes in a bundle, in case they
should refuse to take in the chest; and I must say that, loaded as
the boat will be, they will be much to blame if they do not refuse,
for the boat is but small for stowage, and there's all the provisions
to put in her, which will take up a deal of room."

"That is very true," replied the woman. "It will be better to leave
the chest here, for I do not think that the boat will hold it. You
must not mind your chest, my good boy; it is of no great value."

"They take my rum and all my birds, and they ought to take both me
and my chest."

"Not if it takes up too much room," replied the woman. "You cannot
expect it. The wishes of one person must give way to the wishes of
many."

"Why they would have starved if it had not been for me," replied I,
angrily.

"That's very true, boy," replied the mate; "but you have to learn
yet, that might is right; and recollect that what you did this
morning has not made you any great favourite with them."

"What was that?" inquired my companion.

"Only that he nearly drove his knife through one of the men, that's
all," replied the mate; "English sailors ar'n't fond of knives."

He then touched his hat, and went down again to the pool, desiring
me to follow him with a kid for our share of the supper. I did so,
and on my return she asked me why I had drawn my knife upon the
seaman, and I narrated how it occurred. She pointed out to me the
impropriety of what I had done, asking me whether the Bible did not
tell us we were to forgive injuries.

"Yes," replied I; "but is it not injuries to ourselves? I did
forgive Jackson; but this was to prevent his hurting another."

"Another! why you talk of Nero as if the animal was a rational
being, and his life of as much consequence as that of a fellow-creature.
I do not mean to say but that the man was very wrong, and that you
must have felt angry if an animal you were so fond of had been
killed; but there is a great difference between the life of an
animal and that of a fellow-creature. The animal dies, and there is
an end of it; but a man has an immortal soul, which never perishes,
and nothing can excuse your taking the life of a man, except in
self-defence. Does not the commandment say, 'Thou shalt not kill?'"

She then talked to me a long while upon the subject, and fully made
me understand that I had been very wrong, and I confessed that I had
been so.




Chapter XXII


I now resolved to speak to her relative to the belt which contained
the diamonds; and I was first obliged to narrate to her in a few
words what Jackson had told me. She heard me with great interest, now
and then asking a question. When I had told her all, I said--

"Now, as they talk of not taking my chest, what shall I do? Shall I
wear the belt myself, or shall I put it in the bundle? or will you
wear it for me, as my mother would have done, if she had been alive?"

She did not reply for some time, at last she said, as if talking to
herself, and not to me--

"How unsearchable are thy ways, O God!"

Indeed, although I did not feel it at the time, I have afterwards
thought, and she told me herself, how great her surprise was at
finding in the unshorn little Savage, thus living alone upon a
desolate rock, a lad of good birth, and although he did not know it,
with a fortune in his charge, which would, in all probability, be
ultimately his own. This is certain, that the interest she felt
towards me increased every hour, as by degrees I disclosed my history.

"Well," replied she, "if you will trust me, I will take charge of
your belt. To-morrow we will select out of the chest what will be
best to take with you, and then we will arrange as you wish."

After about an hour's more conversation, she went into the cabin,
and retired behind the screen which had been fixed up, telling me
that she did not mind Nero, and that I might go to bed when I
pleased. As I was not much inclined to go down to the seamen, I
followed her advice and went to bed; but I could not sleep for a long
time from the noise which the men made, who were carousing at the
bathing-pool. The idea of parting with Nero also lay heavy upon my
heart, though the woman had almost satisfied me that as soon as I was
gone, the animal would resume its natural habits, and care nothing
for me.

I was up the next morning early, and went down with Nero to obtain
the fish which we required. I left some on the rocks for the seamen's
breakfast (for they were all sound asleep), and then returned to the
cabin, and prepared for our own. Mrs Reichardt, as I shall now call
her, soon came out to me, and when breakfast was over, proposed that
we should plant the remainder of the potatoes before we packed up the
things in the chest. As soon as they were all cut, we set off to the
ravine, and had finished our task before noon, at which time there
were but few of the seamen stirring, they had remained up so long the
night before, drinking. The mate was one of those who were on their
legs, and he asked me if I thought we should have smooth water to
launch the boat on the following day. I replied in the affirmative,
and went with Mrs Reichardt to the cabin, and putting down the
shovel, I hauled my chest out on the platform to select what articles
I should take.

While we were thus employed, and talking at times, the men came up
for the dried birds to take down ready for putting them in the boat
on the following day, and in two trips they had cleared out the whole
of them.

"Have you used all the potatoes you brought up?" said one of the
men; "for we shall be short of provisions."

Mrs Reichardt replied that we had none left.

"Well then," said the man, "the mate says you had better bring down
that brute of yours to catch the rest of the fish in the pond, that
we may cook them before we start, as they will make two days' meals
at least."

"Very well," replied I; "I will come down directly." I did so, and
Nero, in a quarter of an hour, had landed all the fish, and I then
returned with him to the cabin. Mrs R. had selected the best of the
clothes, and made them up in a tight bundle, which she sewed up with
strong thread. My books she had left out, as well as the spy-glass,
and the tools I had, as they might be useful. I asked her whether I
should carry them down to the bathing-pool, but she replied that on
the morning when we embarked would be quite time enough. I then went
to the hole under Jackson's bed-place, and brought out the belt and
the few articles that were with it. Mrs R., after having examined
them, said that she would take care of them all; the watch and other
trinkets she put in her basket, the belt she took to the bed-place,
and secreted it.

She appeared very silent and thoughtful, and on my asking her
whether I should not take down the shovel, and the pail, and hammer,
she replied, "No, leave all till we are ready to go to the boat. It
will be time enough."

Shortly afterwards, the mate brought us up some of the fish which
they had cooked for supper, and when we had eaten it we went to bed.

"This is the last night we shall sleep together, Nero," said I,
kissing my favourite, and the thought brought tears into my eyes.
"But it can't be helped." I was however soon fast asleep with my arm
round the animal.

When I went out the next morning, I found that the weather was
beautifully fine, the water smooth, and only rippled by a light
breeze. As Mrs R. had not yet made her appearance, I went down to the
bathing-pool, where I found all the men up and in full activity. The
boat had been emptied out, the oars, masts, and sails, were on the
rocks and the men were turning the bows to the seaward in readiness
for launching her over the ledge of rocks. The dried birds lay in a
heap by the side of the cask of rum, and the fish which had been
baked were in a large kid. The six breakers were also piled up
together, and the mate and some of the men were disputing as to how
many of them should be filled with water. The mate wanted them all
filled; the men said that three would be sufficient, as the boat
would be so loaded. At last the mate gained his point, and the men
each took a breaker, and went up to the cabin for the water. I went
with them to fill the breakers, and also to see that they did no
mischief, for they appeared very unruly and out of temper; and I was
afraid that they would hurt Nero, who was at the cabin, if I was not
there to prevent them; but with the exception of examining the cabin,
and forcing themselves in upon Mrs Reichardt, they did nothing. When
the breakers were full, which took at least half an hour, they did
indeed try to catch the birds, and would have wrung their necks, but
the males flew away, and the females I put into the bed-place that
was screened off in the cabin, and near which Mrs Reichardt was
sitting. They all appeared to have a great awe and respect for this
woman, and a look from her was more effectual than were any words of
the mate.

"We don't want you," said one of the men, as they went down to the
bathing-pool with the breakers on their shoulders. "Why don't you
keep up with the lady? You're quite a lady's man, now you've white
trousers on."

The others who followed him laughed at this latter remark.

"I'm of no use up there, at present," said I; "and I may be down
below."

The men set down the breakers on the rocks by the pool, and then,
under the directions of the mate, prepared to launch the boat over
the ledge. The masts of the boat were placed athwartships, under her
keel, for her to run upon, and being now quite empty, she was very
light. She was what they call a whale-boat, fitted for the whale
fishery, pointed at both ends, and steered by an oar; she was not
very large, but held seven people comfortably, and she was remarkably
well fitted with sails and masts, having two lugs and a mizen. As
soon as they were all ready, the men went to the side of the boat,
and in a minute she was launched into the sea without injury. The
mate said to me, as they brought her broadside to the ledge--

"Now, my lad, we don't want you any more; you may go up to the cabin
till we are ready, and then we will send for you and the lady."

"Oh! but I can be of use here," replied I; "and I am of none up
there."

The mate did not reply, and the men then went to the rum cask, and
rolled it towards the boat; and when they had it on the ledge, they
parbuckled it, as they term it, into the boat with a whale-line that
they happened to have, and which was of great length. After the cask
of rum was got in amidships, (and it took up a great deal of space,
reaching from one gunnel to the other, and standing high above the
thwarts) they went for the breakers of water, which they put in,
three before and three behind the cask, upon the floor of the boat.

"She will be too heavy," said one of the men, "with so much water."

"We can easily get rid of it," replied the mate. "If you had said
she would be too heavy with so much liquor on board, you had better
explained the matter; however, you must have your own ways, I suppose."

The next articles that they brought to stow away were the
provisions. The kid of fish was put amidships on the breakers, and
the dried birds, which they carried down in their arms, were packed
up neatly in the stern-sheets. They were soon up to the gunnel, and
the mate said,

"You had better stow away forward now--there will be little room for
the lady as it is."

"No, no, stow them all aft," replied one of the men, in a surly
tone; "the lady must sit where she can. She's no better than we."

"Shall this go in?" said I, pointing to the coil of whale-line, and
addressing the mate.

"No, no; we must leave that," replied one of the men in the boat;
"we shall be wedged enough as it is; and I say, Jim, throw that old
saw and the bag of nails out of the boat--we can have no use for them."

The masts were then stepped, and the rigging set up to the gunnel of
the boat, the yards and sails handed in, and hooked on the halyards
ready for hoisting. In fact the boat was now all ready for starting;
they had only the iron kettle and two or three other articles to put
in.

"Shall we have the mizen?" inquired one of the men, pointing to the
mast, which lay on the rocks.

"No, she steers quite as well without it," replied the mate. "We'll
leave it. And now, lads, hand the oars in."

They were brought to the boat, but owing to the puncheon of rum in
the centre, they could not lie flat, and after a good deal of arguing
and disputing, four oars and a boat-hook were lashed to the gunnel
outside, and the rest were left on the rocks.

At this time there was some consultation between the mate and some
of the men--the mate being evidently opposed by the others. I could
not hear what it was about, but the mate appeared very angry and very
much annoyed. At last he dashed his hat down on the rocks in a great
passion, saying,

"No good will come of it. Mark my words. No good ever did or ever
will. Be it so, you are too many for me; but I tell you again, no
good will come of it."

The mate then sat down on the rocks by himself, and put his head
down on his knees, covering it with his hands.

The man with whom he had been disputing went to the others in the
boat, and spoke to them in a low tone, looking round at me, to
ascertain if I was within hearing.

After a minute or two they all separated, and then one of them said
to me--

"Now, my lad, we're all ready. Go up to the cabin and bring down
your bundle and her basket, and tell the lady we are waiting for her."

"There's the shovel," said I, "and the boat's sail--must I bring
them down?"

"Oh yes, bring them down, and also two or three sealskins for the
lady to sit upon."

Off I went on my errand, for I was delighted with the idea of
leaving the island, and my patience had been almost exhausted at the
time they had taken in the stowage of the boat. As I hastened up the
path, I heard loud contention, and the mate's voice speaking very
angrily, and I stopped for a short time to listen, but the noise
ceased, and I went on again. I found Nero on the platform, and I
stopped a minute to caress him. "Good bye, my poor Nero, we shall
never see one another again," said I. "You must go back to the sea,
and catch fish for yourself;" and the tears started in my eyes as I
gave the animal a farewell kiss.

I then went into the cabin, where I found Mrs Reichardt sitting very
quietly.

"They are all ready," said I, "and have sent me up for you but I am
to bring down the boat's sail and some seal skins for you to sit
upon. I can carry both if you can carry my bundle. Have you put the
belt on?"

"Yes," replied she, "I am quite ready. I will carry the bundle, and
the books and spy-glass, as well as my basket; but we must pack them
close," added she, "and roll the sail up round the yard, or you will
not be able to carry it."

We took the sail down, and got it ready for carrying, and I rolled
up the two best seal skins, and tied them with a piece of fishing
line, and then we were all ready. I shouldered my burden, and Mrs
Reichardt took the other articles, as proposed, and we left the cabin
to go down the path to the bathing-pool.

"Good bye, Nero--good bye, birds--good bye, cabin--and good bye,
garden," said I, as I went along the platform; and having so done,
and ordered Nero back with a tremulous voice, I turned my head in the
direction of the bathing-pool. I stared and then screamed, dropping
my burden, as I lifted up my hands in amazement--

"Look!" cried I to my companion. "Look!" repeated I, breathless.

She did look, and saw as I did--the boat under all sail, half a mile
from the pool, staggering under a fresh breeze, which carried her
away at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour.

They had left us--they had deserted us. I cried out, like a madman,
"Stop! stop! stop!" and then, seeing how useless it was, I dashed
myself on the rock, and for a minute or two was insensible.

"Oh!" groaned I, at last, as I came to my senses.

"Frank Henniker," said a sweet firm voice.

I opened my eyes, and saw Mrs Reichardt standing by me.

"It is the will of Heaven, and you must submit to it patiently,"
continued she.

"But so cruel, so treacherous!" replied I, looking at the fast-receding
boat.

"I grant, most cruel, and most treacherous, but we must leave them
to the judgment of God. What can they expect from him in the way of
mercy when they have shewn none? I tell you candidly, that I think we
are better in our present forlorn state upon this rock, than if in
that boat. They have taken with them the seeds of discord, of
recklessness, and intemperance, in an attempt which requires the
greatest prudence, calmness, and unanimity, and I fear there is
little chance of their even being rescued from their dangerous
position. It is my opinion, and I thought so when I first knew they
had found the cask, that liquor would prove their ruin, and I say
again, that boat will never arrive at its destination, and they will
all perish miserably. It has pleased God that they should leave us
here, and depend upon it, it has been so decided for the best."

"But," replied I, looking again at the boat, "I was tired of being
here--I was so anxious to get off--and now to be left! And they have
taken all our provisions, everything, even the fish in the pool. We
shall starve."

"I hope not," replied she, "and I think not; but we must exert
ourselves, and trust to Heaven."

But I could not heed her--my heart was bursting. I sobbed, as I sat
with my hands covering up my face.

"All gone!" cried I. "No one left but you and I."

"Yes," replied she, "one more."

"Who?" cried I, looking up.

"God!--who is with us always."




Chapter XXIII


I heard what she said, but my head was too confused to weigh the
words. I remained silent, where I was. A few seconds elapsed, and she
spoke again:

"Frank Henniker, rise, and listen to me."

"We shall starve," muttered I.

As I said this, one of the male birds returned from the sea with a
large fish, of which Mrs Reichardt took possession, as she had seen
me do, and the gannet flew away again to obtain more. Immediately
afterwards, the other two birds returned with fish, which were in a
like way secured by my companion.

"See how unjust and ungrateful you are," observed she. "Here are the
birds feeding us, as the ravens did Elijah in the wilderness, at the
very time that you are doubting the goodness and mercy of God. There
is a meal for us provided already."

"My head! my head!" exclaimed I, "it is bursting, and there is a
heavy weight rolling in it--I cannot see anything."

And such was the fact: the excitement had brought on a determination
of blood to the head, and my senses were rapidly departing. Mrs
Reichardt knelt by my side, and perceiving that what I had said was
the case, went into the cabin and brought out a cloth, which she
wetted with water from the spring, and laid across my forehead and
temples. I remained motionless and nearly senseless for half an hour,
during which she continued to apply fresh cold water to the cloth,
and by degrees I recovered from my stupor. In the meantime, the
weather being so fine and the water smooth, the gannets continued to
return with the fish they caught, almost all of which were taken from
them by my companion, until she had collected more than a dozen fish,
from half a pound to a pound weight, which she put away, so that the
birds and seal might not devour them.

I was still in a half dozing state, when the breathing and cold nose
of Nero touched my cheek, and the murmurings of my favourite roused
me up, and I opened my eyes.

"I am better now," said I to Mrs Reichardt. "How kind you have been!"

"Yes, you are better, but still, you must remain quiet. Do you think
that you could walk to your bed-place?"

"I'll try," replied I, and with her assistance I rose up; but, when
I afterwards gained my feet, I should have fallen if she had not
supported me; but, assisted by her, I gained my bed and sank down
again.

She raised my head higher, and then applied the linen cloth and cold
water as before.

"Try now," said she, "if you cannot go to sleep. When you awake
again, I will have some dinner ready for you."

I thanked her and shut my eyes. Nero crawled to my bed-place, and
with my hand upon his head, I fell asleep, and remained so till near
sunset, when I awoke with very little pain in my head, and much
refreshed. I found Mrs Reichardt by my side.

"You are better now," said she. "Can you eat any dinner? I must make
friends with Nero, for he has been disputing my right to come near
your bedside, and his teeth are rather formidable. However, I gave
him the inside of the fish when I cleaned them, and we are better
friends already. There is your dinner."

Mrs Reichardt placed before me some of the fish, broiled on the
embers, and I ate very heartily.

"It is very kind of you," said I, "to be working for me, when I
ought to be working for you--but you must not do it again."

"Only my share of the work when you are well," replied she; "but my
share I always shall do. I cannot be idle, and I am strong enough to
do a great deal; but we will talk about that to-morrow morning. You
will be quite well by that time, I hope."

"Oh! I feel well now," replied I, "only I am very weak."

"You must put your trust in God, my poor boy. Do you ever pray to
him?"

"Yes, I try a little sometimes--but I don't know how. Jackson never
taught me that."

"Then I will. Shall I pray now for both of us?"

"Will God hear you? What was it that you said just before I forgot
everything this morning?"

"I told you that there was another here besides ourselves, a good
and gracious God, who is always with us and always ready to come to
our assistance if we call upon him."

"You told me God lived beyond the stars."

"My poor boy, as if he were a God who was afar off and did not
attend to our prayers! Such is not the case. He is with us always in
spirit, listening to all our prayers, and reading every secret
thought of our hearts."

I was silent for some time, thinking upon what she had told me; at
last I said--

"Then pray to him."

Mrs Reichardt knelt down and prayed in a clear and fervent voice,
without hesitation or stop. She prayed for protection and support in
our desolate condition, that we might be supplied with all things
needful for our sustenance, and have a happy deliverance from our
present position. She prayed that we might be contented and resigned
until it should please him to rescue us--that we might put our whole
trust and confidence in him, and submit without murmuring to whatever
might be his will. She prayed for health and strength, for an
increase of faith and gratitude towards him for all his mercies. She
thanked him for our having been preserved by being left on the
desolate rock, instead of having left it in the boat with the seamen.
(This surprised me.) And then she prayed for me, entreating that she
might be the humble instrument of leading me to my Heavenly Father,
and that he would be pleased to pour down upon me his Holy Spirit, so
that I might, by faith in Christ, be accepted, and become a child of
God and an inheritor of eternal bliss.