THE WILDERNESS AGAIN The full hospitality of Colonel Strong's house was for Robert, and he sat late that night, listening to the talk of his host, merchant and warrior, and politician too.

There were many like him in the colonies, keen men who had a vision for world affairs and who looked far into the future.

He was so engrossed in these matters that he did not notice that he was doing nearly all the talking, but Robert was content to listen.
As Robert sat with Colonel Strong he felt to the full the reality of his own world to which he had returned, and his long life on the island became for the time a dream, something detached, that might have happened on another planet.

Yet its effects remained.

His manner was grave, and his thoughts were those of one much beyond his years.