The _Bonito_ was cast away, in a cyclone, on a desert island, and
all hands lost, except me and one other."
"Dear Daddy! poor Daddy!" cried the child, putting her little hands
up to the weather-beaten face, and drawing it down to hers. "Don't
talk about that dreadful part. Go on to the next!"
"No, I won't talk about it, Star Bright!" said the old man, very
gravely. "Fust place I can't, and second place it ain't fit for little
maids to hear of. But I lived on that island fifteen year,--five year
with my good mate Job Hotham, and ten year alone, after Job died.
When a ship kem by, after that, and took me off, I'd forgot most
everything, and was partly like the beasts that perish; but it kem
back to me. Slow, like, and by fits, as you may say; but it kem back,
all there was before, and maybe a good bit more!"
"Poor Daddy!" murmured the child again, pressing her soft cheek
against the white beard. "It's all over now! Don't think of it! I
am here, Daddy, loving you: loving you _all to pieces_, you know!"
The old man was silent for a few minutes, caressing the little white
hands which lay like twin snowflakes in his broad, brown palm. Then
he resumed, cheerfully:
"And so, Cream Cheese from the dairy of Heaven, I kem home.
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