These children, sons of a gentleman and lady who had been passengers
in the ill-fated ship, were kept in captivity by the savages for many
years.

At the time of the shipwreck, John was a stout lad, thirteen or fourteen
years old; but little William was a mere infant, being scarcely two
years of age! Think what a dreadful life these poor little orphans had
before them! Their kind parents cruelly murdered, and themselves
prisoners to the barbarous murderers!

At first the savages treated them harshly, and made them endure all
kinds of privation and hardship. Finally, after changing from one cruel
master to another several times, they were purchased by one more humane
than the rest, named Dupper, who took them to his home on a distant
island, and treated them with a great deal of kindness.

[Illustration]

Dupper taught John how to shoot with the bow and arrow, with which he
was himself very expert. He also showed him their method of spearing
fish, and taught him many other savage accomplishments. In Dupper's
family, too, the boys both learned to speak the native language, and
they soon almost forgot their own.

But they did not forget their own country; at least John did not; and as
he often talked with William about their dear parents, and the pleasant
home they had left many miles away, there was but little danger of
William forgetting it either.

Though kindly treated by Dupper and his family, and made as comfortable