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may be proud to call him so, and show him the same duty as a father; though I cannot but hope he will not take us from hence, for it would be the study of my life to show I was grateful."

"I am sure," answered Patty, "I shall never forget Mr. Richardson's goodness, or dear Miss Mary's kindness, in feeding and clothing us-nay, even taking in our poor dog Shock, who is grown as fat, and seems as happy as we are."

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My only wish is," replied Frank, "that my uncle had come home while our poor father and mother lived: but I hope they are in Heaven, Patty, and better off than even we are now."

CHAP. XXI.

ADVENTURES OF MR. WILLIAMS THE SURGEON, AND THE RAJAH ALI SAAB.

In the evening, all being placed round a cheerful fire, Charles and Mary by the side of their father, and Frank and Patty by their uncle, Mr. Richardson said, addressing Mr. Williams, "You must either have had some powerful reason, or great misfortune, that could estrange you so many years from your family, and I should rather fear the latter; for if I judge from your present conduct, you would not wil. lingly have deprived yourself of a correspondence with them."

"Indeed, Sir," replied Mr. Williams, "you are perfectly right in your conjecture. Nothing but- necessity could so long have separated me from a brother whom I ever tenderly loved; and if it would not be wearying you, I would relate the various events that occasioned it."

"On the contrary," returned Mr. Richardson, "it would give me the highest pleasure, if not intruding too much on you.

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Mr. Williams bowed and- answered, "A friend like you, Sir, who will condescend to hear, has a right to be informed of every particular."

Adventures of Mr. Williams the Surgeon, and the Rajah Ali Saab.

"I must inform you, Sir, that the father of these children and myself were left orphans, at the early age of twelve years; on which event my brother was apprenticed to a weaver at Exeter, and myself taken by a Surgeon in the town, who was my godfather. This gentleman treated me with the tenderness of a parent, and, my education having been hitherto neglected, took the utmost pains to instruct and improve me, so that by the time I attained my eighteenth year I was accounted a good scholar,

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and not an indifferent surgeon. My master, Mr. Smith, was also kind, in numberless instances, to my brother: but he was too liberal to be rich; and a tradesman failing, to whom he had advanced a large sum, he unavoidably became a bankrupt. Having neither wife nor children, he determined to seek preferment and fortune abroad, and for that purpose engaged himself as surgeon to a regiment bound to the East Indies. Sorry as I was to leave my brother, I could not abandon so good a master, particularly as he was unfortunate, and therefore entreated to accompany him as his assistant, which was readily granted. We left my brother all the little things we could possibly spare, and among others, the prayer-book and flageolet; my master, out of a trifling sum he had advanced, also presented him with four guineas, and promised not to forget him when more was in our power.

"We were tolerably quiet for the first nine months after our arrival in India,

but at that period we had a dreadful conflict with a neighbouring Rajah, in which our army was defeated with great slaughter, and among many others, Mr. Smith and myself made prisoners, and carried farther up the country; from whence, not being able to send any intelligence, and never, after the battle, being heard of, doubtless arose the report of our death.

"The Rajah Heider Cawn, into whose hands we had fallen, was amongst the most ferocious rulers of the India nátions, and many of our unhappy companions in captivity were either put to death, or died by the more lingering tortures of want in dungeons, secluded from day. Happily Mr. Smith's profession being known saved him; for the Indians have, in general, a high opinion of European surgeons. On his examination, he was therefore liberated, and having by means of the interpreter, informed them that I was his assistant, and prompted by humanity, adding I was

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