CHAPTER SIX. 

JACK HAS A DESPERATE ENCOUNTER. 

We never can tell what a day or an hour may bring forth. This is a solemn fact on which young and old might frequently ponder with advantage, and on which we might enlarge to an unlimited extent; but our space will not admit of moralising very much, therefore we beg the reader to moralise on that, for him--or herself. The subject is none the less important, that circumstances require that it should be touched on in a slight, almost flippant, manner. 

Had Jack Robinson known what lay before him that evening, he would--he would have been a wiser man! Nothing more appropriate than that occurs to us at this moment. But, to be more particular:-- 

When the party reached the nets, Jack left them to attend to their work, and went off alone to the vats, some of which, measuring about six feet in diameter, were nearly full of fish in pickle. 

As he walked along the slight track which guided him towards them, he pondered the circumstances in which he then found himself, and, indulging in a habit which he had acquired in his frequent and prolonged periods of solitude, began to mutter his thoughts aloud. 

"So, so, Jack, you left your farm because you were tired of solitude, and now you find yourself in the midst of society. Pleasant society, truly!--bullies and geese, without a sympathetic mind to rub against. Humph! a pleasant fix you've got into, old fellow." 

Jack was wrong in this to some extent, as he afterwards came to confess to himself, for among his men there were two or three minds worth cultivating, noble and shrewd, and deep, too, though not educated or refined. But at the time of which we write, Jack did not know this. He went on to soliloquise: 
what is a fact?
who should the reader moralise this on?
Did Jack know what was to happen?
what if he did?
where did Jack leave?
why?
where did he go?
was it kind?
was he alone often before?
what would he do when alone?
what were in the vats?
were they large?
how big?
who was there?
was he with the party?
who was he with then?
what was the party doing?
where?
how many minds did he feel were worth cultivating?
were they educated?
We never can tell what a day or an hour may bring forth.
We never can tell what a day or an hour may bring forth. This is a solemn fact
him--or herself
moralise on that, for him--or herself
no
Had Jack Robinson known what lay before him that evening,
would have been a wiser man
he would have been a wiser man
his farm
So, so, Jack, you left your farm 
tired of solitude
tired of solitude
society
find yourself in the midst of society
yes
Pleasant society, truly!-
yes
frequent and prolonged periods of solitude
mutter his thoughts aloud.
mutter his thoughts aloud. 
fish in pickle
nearly full of fish in pickle
yes
six feet in diameter, 
six feet in diameter
six feet in diameter
Jack
 went off alone to the vats,
no
Jack left them to attend to their work, and went off alone t
alone
Jack left them to attend to their work, and went off alone to
attending to their work
Jack left them to attend to their work
the nets
When the party reached the nets
two or three
there were two or three minds
no
though not educated 