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“‘He doesn’t understand you,’ said the Mother Albatross, who endeavoured, as is proper, to soothe her mate’s irritability, and make peace. ‘Couldn’t you take a message to the ship yourself? It is nothing to your magnificent wings, and it is not his fault, poor creature, that he is not formed like you.’

“‘You speak very sensibly, my dear’ said Father Albatross; and once more he took flight over the sea.

“But he returned in even worse mood than before.

“‘Nothing can equal the stupidity of human beings,’ he observed. ‘I addressed myself to the captain. “There’s an island with shipwrecked men on it a few miles to the north-east,” said I. “We shall see land in about ten days, ma’am,” says the captain to a lady on deck. “There’s as big a fool as yourself wrecked on an island north-east by north,” I cried. “If you had the skill of a sparrow you could see it with your own eyes in five minutes.” “It’s very remarkable,” said the captain, “I never heard one of those albatross make a sound before.” “And never will again,” said I; “it’s a waste of time to talk to you. It won’t take long to put you and yours under water like the rest.” And away I came.’

“‘I don’t understand the cry of human beings myself,’ said his mate, ‘and I’m rather glad I do not; it would only irritate me. Perhaps he did not understand you.’

“‘They are all stupid alike,’ said the father bird; ‘but I have done my best, and shall not disturb myself any more.’

“The captain watched till sunset, and folded his hands, and bent his head as usual, and at last lay down to sleep. He dreamt of England, and of home–of a home that had been his long since, of a young wife, dead years ago. He dreamt that he lay, at early morning, in a sunny room in a little cottage where they had lived, and where, in summer, the morning sun awoke them not much later than the birds. He dreamt that his wife was by him, and that she thought that he was asleep, and that, so thinking, she put her arms round his neck to awaken him–that he lay still, and pretended to be slumbering on, and that, so lying, he saw her face bright with an unearthly beauty, and her eyes fixed on him with such intensity of expression that they held him like a spell. Then he felt her warm face come nearer to his, and she kissed his cheeks, and he heard her say, ‘Wake up, my darling, I have something to show you.’ Again she repeated vehemently, ‘Awake! Awake! Look! Look!’ and then he opened his eyes.

“He was lying at the look-out, and Carlo was licking his face. It was a dream, and yet the voice was strong and clear in his ears, ‘Awake! Awake! Look! Look!’

“A heavier hand than his wife’s was on his shoulder, and Barker’s rough voice (hoarser than usual), repeated the words of his dream.

“The captain’s eyes followed the outstretched hand to the horizon; and then his own voice grew hoarse, as he exclaimed–

“‘My God! it is a sail!'”

* * * * *

Ida was not leaning on the little old lady’s footstool now. She sat upright, her pale face whiter than its wont.

“Did the ship take them away?” she asked eagerly.

“Yes, my dear. Their signals were seen, and the ship took them home to their friends, who had believed them to be dead.”

“Do people who have been drowned–I mean who have been thought to be drowned–ever come home really?” the child asked.

“Yes, really. Ida, my dear, I want you to remember that, as regards the captain and the crew, this is a true story.”

Ida clasped her hands passionately together.