The gun-boat ran in here, like as we did, to have some slight repairs done, and Kathy was landed.

She seemed to take at once to motherly Mrs.Holbein, who offered to adopt her, and as the captain of the gun-boat had no more notion than the man-in-the-moon who the child belonged to, or what to do with her, he gladly handed her over, so here she has been livin' ever since.

Of course attempts have been made to discover her friends, but without success, and now all hope has been given up.

The poor girl herself never speaks on the subject, but old Holbein and his wife tell me she is sure that Kathy has never forgotten her father.

It may be so; anyhow, she has forgotten his name--if she ever knew it." Next day Nigel made no objections to being guided to the most picturesque spots among the coral isles by the interesting orphan girl.
If she had been older he might even have fallen in love with her, an event which would have necessitated an awkward modification of the ground-work of our tale.