Page:Helen Leah Reed - Napoleons young neighbour.djvu/31

Rh that made him grin more than ever, and he went off singing merrily at the top of his voice."

Thus Betsy recalled her first impression of St. Helena.

If Mr. Balcombe and the rest of the family at The Briars were surprised at the news of Napoleon's approach, people on the island in general were equally astonished. No communication had reached Governor Wilks, no letter of instructions as to what should be done with the illustrious prisoner.

The captain of the Icarus could only tell the residents of St. Helena that Napoleon was near and that the Second Battalion of the Fifty-third Regiment had embarked with the squadron. Even in those days, when there were no cables to flash the news of coming events, when there were no swift steamboats to act as heralds, it seems strange that in more than seven months no news of the escape from Elba had reached the little island.

Now, when the people of St. Helena heard the news, they were greatly disturbed. They were afraid that the coming of Napoleon might cause changes in their government, and