Ellen answered that
she had come with Mrs. Dunscombe and her daughter.
"Did you have a pleasant time?" asked Mrs. Chauncey.
"Why, no, Ma'am." Said Ellen — "I don't know — it was partly
pleasant, and partly unpleasant."
"What made it so, love?"
"I had left Mamma that morning, and that made me unhappy."
"But you said it was partly pleasant?"
"Oh, that was because I had such a good friend on board," said
Ellen, her face lighting up, as his image came before her.
"Who was that?"
"I don't know, Ma'am, who he was."
"A stranger to you?"
"Yes, Ma'am — I never saw him before — I wish I could see him
again."
"Where did you find him?"
"I didn't find him — he found me, when I was sitting up on the
highest part of the boat."
"And your friends with you?"
"What friends?"
"Mrs. Dunscombe and her daughter."
"No, Ma'am — they were down in the cabin."
"And what business had you to be wandering about the boat
alone?" said Mr. Marshman, good-humouredly.
"They were strangers, Sir," said Ellen, colouring a little.
"Well, so was this man — your friend — a stranger, too, wasn't
he?"
"Oh, he was a very different stranger," said Ellen, smiling, —
"and he wasn't a stranger long, besides."
"Well, you must tell me more about him — come, I'm curious; —
what sort of a strange friend was this?"
"He wasn't a _strange_ friend," said Ellen, laughing; — "he was
a very, very good friend; he took care of me the whole day; he
was very good and very kind.
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