United States or Egypt ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
At that moment a halloo was heard faintly in the distance, and, soon after, a raft was seen approaching, guided, apparently, by two men. "Raft a-hoy! Where d'ee hail from?" shouted the mate. "From nowhere!" came back promptly in a boy's ringing voice. "You've got on a coral reef," shouted a powerful voice, which, we need scarcely say, was that of Dominick Rigonda, "but you're safe enough now.
"It was the earthquake that did it," cried Mr Rigonda, starting up, and pacing the room wildly, "I'm convinced of that." "How can that be, John, dear, when you were in Java at the time, and our darlings were far away upon the sea?" "How can I tell how it could be, Maggie? Do you take me for a geological philosopher, who can give reasons for every earthly thing he asserts?
Surely a sail must appear soon!" Dominick Rigonda was strong in youthful hope even in that hour of sorest trial, but he was not strong in faith. He prayed, however, and found his faith strengthened in the act, for he looked up immediately after with a feeling amounting almost to certainty, that the long-expected and wished-for sail would greet his eyes.
But really, you know, I find it so hard to believe it is not all a joke, despite the grave deputations that have waited on me, and the serious arguments they have used. The idea of making me Me a Queen!" Again Pauline Rigonda gave way to merry laughter, and again did her lady of the bedchamber administer a reproof by expressing the hope that she might take the matter as lightly a year hence.
"You seem busy to-night, friends," he said, in his usual pleasant tones, as he took his stand close beside Hugh Morris, who was near the bow of the boat. "Mr Rigonda!" exclaimed Malines in great surprise, coming forward at the moment. "Why are you surprised? It is not unusual for me to take a row on a fine night."
During the last two nights, when all was still, and the starving sailors were slumbering, or attempting to slumber, Dominick Rigonda the youth whom we have just introduced to the reader had placed a small quantity of broken biscuit in the hands of his sister and little brother, with a stern though whispered command to eat it secretly and in silence.
Then there was impatient thundering at the knocker, and wild ringing of the bell. "Fire!" gasped the half-petrified Mrs Rigonda. "No smell!" said her half-paralysed spouse. Loud voices in the passage; stumbling feet on the stairs; suppressed female shrieks; bass masculine exclamations; room door burst open; old couple, in alarm, on their feet; cat, in horror, on the top of the bookcase!
When the light of day at last broke faintly in the east it revealed the fact that Refuge Islands had actually and totally disappeared, and that our settlers were floating on the bosom of the open sea! An Island Queen no longer, Pauline Rigonda sits on the quarter-deck of the emigrant ship gazing pensively over the side at the sunlit sea.
It is of no use mincing the matter; Dr John Marsh, after being regarded by his friends at home as hopelessly unimpressible in short, an absolute woman-hater had found his fate on a desolate isle of the Southern seas, he had fallen nay, let us be just had jumped over head and ears in love with Pauline Rigonda!
"Prosiness is one of your weak points when left to your own promptings." "But before you begin, Dom," said old Mr Rigonda, "tell us where Refuge Islands are." "In the Southern Pacific, father." "Yes," observed Otto; "at the bottom of the Southern Pacific." "Indeed!" exclaimed the old gentleman, whose incredulity was fast taking the form of sarcasm.
Word Of The Day