His master inquired what he intended to do with it. Wylie replied,
"I shall be hungry in the morning, and I am keeping it for my breakfast."
Then Mr. Eyre perceived that the greedy boy intended to offer him neither
supper nor breakfast. Accordingly he took out his bag of flour, and said
to Wylie, "Very well, we will each eat our own food; you eat the opossums
you shot, and I eat the flour I have; and I will give you no more." In
this manner, Mr. Eyre hoped to show the boy the folly of his selfishness.
Wylie was frightened at the idea of getting no more flour, and
immediately offered the smaller opossum to his master, and promised to
cook it himself. What a selfish, and ungrateful boy! Wylie had a wicked
heart by nature, and so have _we_. Only _he_ had not been taught what was
right, as _we_ have been. This is a prayer which would suit well every
child, and every man in the world, "Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me."
Mr. Eyre continued to be kind to Wylie, though he saw the boy did not
really love him.
But the troubles of the journey were nearly at an end. At last the
travellers saw a ship a few miles from the shore. Oh I how anxious they
were that the sailors should see them! What could they do? They kindled a
fire on a rock, and they made a great deal of smoke come out of the fire.
Soon a boat was seen approaching the shore. How great was the joy of the
weary travellers.
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