But whilst they were still altogether, the Lieutenant, addressing Mrs
Barnett, said with considerable emotion--
“God bless you, madam, for all you have been to us. You have been our
comforter, our consoler, the very soul of our little world; and I thank
you in the name of all.”
Three cheers for Mrs Barnett greeted this speech, and each soldier
begged to shake her by the hand, whilst the women embraced her
affectionately.
The Lieutenant himself had conceived so warm an affection for the lady
who had so long been his friend and counsellor, that he could not bid
her good-bye without great emotion.
“Can it be that we shall never meet again?” he exclaimed.
“No, Lieutenant,” replied Mrs Barnett;” we must, we shall meet
again. If you do not come and see me in Europe, I will come back to you
at Fort Reliance, or to the new factory you will found some day yet.”
On hearing this, Thomas Black, who had regained the use of his tongue
since he had landed on terra firma, came forward and said, with an air
of the greatest conviction--
“Yes, we shall meet again in thirty-six years. My friends, I missed
the eclipse of 1860, but I will not miss that which will take place
under exactly similar conditions in the same latitudes in 1896. And
therefore I appoint a meeting with you, Lieutenant, and with you,
my dear madam, on the confines of the Arctic Ocean thirty six years
hence.”
End of Part II
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