CHAPTER I.

THE EMIGRANTS.


"What makes you keep that big blue sun-bonnet drawn so closely over
your face? are you afraid of having it seen?"

The person addressed was a pale, sickly-looking child about nine years
of age, who, on the deck of the vessel Windermere, was gazing intently
towards the distant shores of old England, which were fast receding
from view. Near her a fine-looking boy of fourteen was standing, and
trying in vain to gain a look at the features so securely shaded from
view by the gingham bonnet.

At the sound of his voice the little girl started, and without turning
her head, replied, "Nobody wants to see me, I am so ugly and
disagreeable."

"Ugly are you?" repeated the boy, and at the same time lifting her up
and forcibly holding her hands, he succeeded in looking her fully in
the face, "Well, you are not very handsome, that's a fact," said he,
after satisfying his curiosity, "but I wouldn't be sullen about it.
Ugly people are always smart, and perhaps you are. Any way, I like
little girls, so just let me sit here and get acquainted."

Mary Howard, the child thus introduced to our readers, was certainly