Georgies Present | Page 3

have fallen senseless to the
ground, had not one of the gentlemen caught her in his arms. She was
carried down in a state of unconsciousness to the cabin, and left to the
care of the stewardess."
[Illustration: desc. Ship's rigging in night storm]
"No one on deck had moved an inch. Indeed, they scarcely seemed to
breathe, so intense was the excitement felt in watching the movements
of the animal. Presently, a faint cry was heard,--the child was evidently
frightened; perhaps hurt by the pressure of the brute's arm. At once the
monkey paused: he seemed to perceive there was something amiss; for,
taking his station in some part of the rigging, he tried to act the part of
nurse, rocking the baby to and fro, and patting its back. In the
meantime the captain was at his wits' end to know what course was the
best to pursue. At first he ordered one or two of the men to go aloft in
pursuit. But this only increased the evil, for the animal, seeing itself
chased, hastened to climb a still higher spar; and the terrible fear was

suggested that, if driven too closely, he might drop his precious burden,
in order thus to secure the use of both his arms."
"Oh, grandmamma, how shocking!" cried George, his interest evidently
reaching a climax at this point of the tale.
"Shocking indeed," said Mrs. Ward; "the very idea was enough to make
one's blood run cold. What was to be done? There was, happily, present
a very experienced old seaman, who now ventured to suggest a plan
which he thought might possibly turn out successful: at all events, as he
said, it could do no harm. His advice was, that everybody should be
ordered to quit the deck, sailors and all, so that not a creature should be
visible on board. The few men whose presence was necessary to
manage the ship were alone suffered to remain at their post, and they
were directed to keep quiet, and to conceal themselves as much as
possible from view of the monkey. The captain determined to try this
scheme, and his orders were immediately obeyed. We all hastened
down accordingly, and waited the issue in suspense. For some minutes
a profound silence reigned. By-and-by the captain, who had placed
himself at a point where he could watch unseen what was going
forward, announced that the monkey was descending cautiously from
his perch. By his actions it seemed as though the creature felt at a loss
to account for the unwonted solitude on deck. His curiosity was
awakened, and he must needs come down and see what it meant.
"Slowly and cautiously he slipped from yardarm to yardarm,
approaching nearer and nearer to the deck; at last he reached it, still
carrying the child with a firm grasp. In a moment he was seized by two
lusty sailors who were lying in wait behind a coil of rope; and the
precious freight he carried was borne in triumph down to the cabin.
What a scene it was! The poor mother was just recovering from the
long death-like swoon in which she had lain, when the infant was
placed in her arms, perfectly uninjured, although cold, and its little face
blanched as if with terror. At first it seemed as though the sudden
revulsion of feeling was too much for her, and she appeared about to
sink once more into a state of insensibility; but the next moment,
feeling the little creature nestling close to her bosom, she clasped it to

her, while the tears trickled down her cheeks."
"I wonder whether they punished the monkey for playing such a trick,"
said George. "I really think, my dear," said Mrs. Ward, "that the
mischievous brute escaped the flogging which he richly deserved: one
thing is certain, he never had the chance of playing nurse to Mrs. Ray's
baby again."
[Illustration]

CHAPTER II.
The rays of the evening sun were now sinking beneath the horizon,
shedding a golden glory over the landscape, and speaking in fair
promise of a fine day on the morrow. "It is time we went home again,
before the dews begin to fall," said Mrs. Ward, as she rose from her
seat; and then, pointing to the western sky, she added: "How
beautiful!--'These are thy glorious works, Parent of good. Let us praise
God, whose glory is shown in the works of His hands; for day unto day
uttereth speech; night unto night showeth knowledge.' I hope you, my
dear George, will never be one of those who have eyes that see not, and
ears that cannot hear. Your dear grandfather was only a little boy when
he began to think of the great things of another world, and at the age