The stars shone out, one by one, in the firmament, when the king of day
had descended. Calmly the night looked down, and undisturbed were
Harry's thoughts, as seated upon the taffrail, old Neptune by his side,
he once again breathed the air of liberty. Not that he rejoiced that he
was thus freed from him who had kept him in perfect slavery, for he
alone had dropped a tear over the uncoffined burial of his persecutor;
but his heart was filled with gratitude, as he looked into the peerless
night,--gratitude to Him who has given us a soul, that we may admire the
works of his hands. As Harry sat musing, turning from the heavenly orbs
to their semblance on the bosom of the placid waters, he observed, as it
were, a fallen star, mirrored therein, but rousing his dreamy senses, he
found it was a small, shining object, floating near them. He drew it
from the water; it was a block of wood, in the form of an octagon,
highly polished, inlaid with bits of pearl, forming grotesque figures,
and thickly studded with some bright mineral, representing stars, which
gave it a very handsome appearance.
"Well, if the youngster isn't picking up moonshine," remarked Sampson,
examining the curiosity.
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