"Very likely; but as you see, Jerry, we have not our choice, we must make up our minds to be content where we are," answered Mr Brand cheerfully.  "Probably, if we were at Juan Fernandez, supposing it still uninhabited, we should be wishing to be on the mainland.  Let us strive, therefore, wherever we are, or whatever happens to us, to be content. Depend on it, we were not placed here by our merciful and all-loving Maker without an object, though we may never discover it.  I do not for a moment mean to say that we are to sit down idly and not to endeavour to improve our condition.  We are sent into this world to struggle--that we may in a variety of ways be tried--that all our trials may tend to our improvement.  What I wish to impress on you, my lads, is, that we should be contented in every condition in which we are placed; we should be thankful for every step we gain, while our chief aim in life is our religious and moral improvement.  But remember, above all things, that we must always look beyond this world.  This is not our abiding-place-- this is not even our resting-place--there is no rest here.  If we only strive for something in this world--however noble, however great the position--we shall altogether fall short, very short of the aim, the object of life."