This done, my wife hastened to set
before us a substantial meal, while the boys, anxious to make their new
acquaintance feel at home amongst them, were doing their best to amuse
her. She herself, after the first feeling of strangeness had worn off,
entered fully into all their fun; and by the time they sat down to
supper was laughing and chatting as gaily as any one of the rest. She
admired the various dishes, tasted our mead and, without alluding once
to her previous life, kept up a lively conversation.
The mere fact of meeting with any human being after so many years of
isolation was in itself sufficient to raise the boys to the greatest
state of excitement; but that this being should be one so handsome; so
gay, so perfectly charming, seemed completely to have fumed their
heads; and when I gave the sign for the breaking-up of the feast, and
their new friend was about to be led to the night-quarters which had
been prepared for her on board the yacht, the health of Edward Montrose
was proposed, and drunk in fragrant mead, amidst the cheers and
acclamations of all hands.
When she was gone, and silence had been restored, Jack exclaimed:
`Now, then, Fritz, if you please, just tell me where you came across
this jolly fellow. Did you take your mysterious voyage in search of
him, or did you meet him by chance? Out with your adventures, while we
sit comfortably round the fire.
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