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26 MAROONEK’S ISLAND ; OR, Dr. Gordon in Search of His Children. BY REV. F. R. GOULDING, Author of “ The Young Maroonera.” CHAPTER lll. —^Continued. IIILE this sequel in the conversation was going /"• ,'MPBL on, Wildcat, who had distance wfthin hearing, •fIU began to show signs of great un a easiness, especially for one trained WA W as he had been to all the sobriety * 4ft and stoicism of the Indian; he shifted hastily his position, and looked with searching glance deep into the eyes first of his employer, then of Dr. Gor don. Finally, he watched the opportunity of a moment’s silence, when he glided modestly up to the Major’s side and whispered a word in his ear, who replied, “ Certainly, Wildcat, I shall be glad to do so, both for your own sake and for that of the others. You are about the last one I would think of stopping.” The boy’s face flashed with delight. lie murmured gratefully one single word of his tribe, “ Enk-lis-chay!” * and then quietly resumed his place as before. Not perfectly understanding the language, he had been somewhat uncertain whether or not his going on the expedition depended upon the contingency of the Major’s go • ing too, and had come to inquire. Resuming now his conversation with the Doctor, and talking in an undertone, the Major said: “You will find that boy a perfect treas ure. Not only is he true as steel in hi‘s courage and fidelity, but he is quick as a steel-trap in his perceptions of an exi gency and in his device for meeting it. I can commend him to your confidence as well as to your care. The crew are pick ed men and have a character to sustain. I doubt not they v r ill prove themselves orderly and obedient. Sergean t Tomkins, whom I appoint in command, under your direction, is skilled in the language and habits of the Seminoles, generally—they being composed, as you know, of refugees from several different nations. He lived among them so long that he is almost half Indian in his own ways. Corporal Wheeler, the man next him in position and capability, has seen a good deal of wild life in Mexico and the Rocky Moun tains. Should you be so unfortunate as to have any collision with the Indians, these men will be invaluable. Os the rest I know little, except that they are *Good. BURKE’S WEEKLY. well behaved soldiers, and that they have been selected by Tomkins with express reference to their fitness for this work. Yes, Simpson, that swarthy faced man with black hair and with a down look, that I confess I do not like, lived for some years among the Eufaulas of Alabama, and not only speaks the Muscogee lan gmige, but can also understand and make himself known in the grunts of the lichees, of whom there are quite a number scat tered along this coast. “And now a word in your ear about the Indians you will probably meet, if you meet any at all. Some are friendly, but the greater part are restless, dissat isfied and ready at any time to break out into hostility. My advice to you is that you have as little as possible to do with them; but if forced to communicate, let your dealing, and those of the men, be at the same time bold and conciliatory; for there are no people who more admire manhood, and it is to be supposed that they are not insensible to kindness.” Then lowering his voice to a whisper, he added, “I trust, however, that these seemingly imminent hostilities may be averted ; for the despatches just now re ceived inform me that a ‘ big talk ’ with the chiefs is proposed to be held at Payne’s Landing, to the northeast of Tampa, for which I am ordered to make immediate preparations.” At this point, Captain Randolph ap proached, saying, “I have a proposition to make. It is this: that, unless your instructions, Major, require my presence, I will leave Tampa day after to-morrow and sail close along shore, keeping a look out for the young folks, or standing ready to take the Doctor as far ICey West or the Tortugas, if lie so desire; -at either of which places he can engage wreckers to scour the coast with or for him from Cape to Tampa Bay.” Major Burke replied, that he had seen nothing in his instructions, so far as they had been examined, to interfere with such an arrangement, and that he would C - teem any assistance of the kind rendered to Dr. Gordon, in his efforts for the recov ery of his children, as a favor done to himself. Dr. Gordon thanked both these gentle men for their evidences of good will, and said that, although he was unable to form an opinion as to the desirableness of such a measure, lie would esteem it a kindness if Capt. Randolph would sail as close in shore as convenient and keep a look out for any signals that might be given, eith er by flag or smoke. And so they parted—Dr. Gordon, with Wildcat in company, going aboard the barge, while Major B. remained on the cutter for the purpose of returning to Fort Brooke. — A Mouse in the Pantry. When I used to be out of temper, or naughty in any way, if grandfather was here he would call to me—“ Mary, Mary, take care! there’s a mouse in the pan try !” I often used to stop crying at this, and stand wondering what he meant. I often ran to the pantry, too, to see. if there was really a mouse in the trap; but never found one. One day I said — “ Grandfather, I don’t know what you mean. I have no pantry, and there are no mice in mother’s, because I have look ed ever so often.” He smiled and said—- “ Come, little woman, sit down here in the porch with me, and I’ll tell you what I mean. Your heart, Mary, is the pantry. The little sins are the mice that get in and nibble'away all the good, and that makes you sometimes cross and peevish and fretful, unwilling to do as your moth er wishes; and if you do not strive against them, the mice will keep nibbling till all the good is eaten away. Now, I want to show you, my little girl, how to prevent this. To keep the mice out you must set a trap for them—the trap of watchfulness ; and have for the bait good resolutions and firmness.” “ But, mother,” said Nancy, now quite interested in the story, “ wouldn’t they nibble the resolutions away, too, after a while ?” “No, Nancy; not if the watch was kept strictly and the bait a good one. I did not exactly understand it when grand father first told me, for I was such a very little girl; but I knew it was meant for me in some way, and after a while I be gan to find out what he meant. He told me too that I might store my pantry with good things if I watched it well. Do you know what that means, Nancy?” “To be full of good always,” said Nan cy, whose tears were dried now. “Yes; to store it with good principles, good thoughts and kind feelings.”— Early Bays. Echoes. Os what has Heaven given us an equal share? Air. What does a rumor often do when it flies ? Lies. Which is the loveliest flower that grows? Rose. W hose children are wo apt to think the sweetest flowers ? Ours.