Before stories could be commenced, however, the visitors were summoned to Mr.Ross's house to dinner, and then the captain had got into such an eager talk with the king that evening was upon them before they knew where they were, as Nigel expressed it, and the stories had to be postponed until the following day.
Of course beds were offered, and accepted by Captain Roy and Nigel.

Just before retiring to them, father and son went out to have a stroll on the margin of the lagoon.
"Ain't it a nice place, Nigel ?" asked the former, whose kindly spirit had been stirred up to quite a jovial pitch by the gushing welcome he had received alike from old and young.
"It's charming, father.

Quite different from what you had led me to expect." "My boy," returned the captain, with that solemn deliberation which he was wont to assume when about to deliver a palpable truism.

"W'en you've come to live as long as me you'll find that everything turns out different from what people have bin led to expect.

Leastways that's _my_ experience." "Well, in the meantime, till I have come to your time of life, I'll take your word for that, and I do hope you intend to stay a long time here." "No, my son, I don't.