The sisters shed floods of tears at the thought of poor Mark’s situation.  For several days they did little besides weep and pray.  Then Bridget suddenly dried her tears, and announced an intention to go in person to the rescue of her husband.  Not only was she determined on this, but, as a means of giving a death-blow to all expectations of a separation and to the hopes of her new suitor, she was resolved to go in a way that should enable her to remain on the Reef with Mark, and, if necessary, to pass the remainder of her days there.  Bob had given a very glowing description of the charms of the residence, as well as of the climate, the latter quite justly, and declared his readiness to accompany this faithful wife in the pursuit of her lost partner.  The whole affair was communicated to Doctor and Mrs. Heaton, who not only came into the scheme, but enlisted in its execution in person.  The idea pleased the former in particular, who had a love of adventure, and a desire to see other lands, while Anne was as ready to follow her husband to the ends of the earth, as Bridget was to go to the same place in quest of Mark.  In a word, the whole project was deliberately framed, and ingeniously carried out.

Doctor Heaton had a brother, a resident of New York, and often visited him.  Bridget was permitted to accompany Anne to that place, whither her money was transferred to her.  A vessel was found that was about to sail for the North-west Coast, and passages were privately engaged.  A great many useful necessaries were laid in, and, at the proper time, letters of leave-taking were sent to Bristol, and the whole party sailed.  Previously to the embarkation, Bob appeared to accompany the adventurers.  He was attended by Socrates, and Dido, and Juno, who had stolen away by order of their young mistress, as well as by a certain Friend Martha Waters, who had stood up in ‘meeting’ with Friend Robert Betts, and had become “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh;” and her maiden sister, Joan Waters, who was to share their fortunes.  In a word, Bob had brought an early attachment to the test of matrimony.

So well had the necessary combinations been made, that the ship sailed with our adventurers, nine in number, without meeting with the slightest obstacle.  Once at sea, of course nothing but that caused by the elements was to be anticipated.  Cape Horn was doubled in due time, are Doctor Heaton, with all under his care, was landed at Panama, just five months, to a day, after leaving New York.  Here passages were taken in the same brig that Bob had returned in, which was again bound out, on a pearl-fishing voyage.  Previously to quitting Panama, however, a recruit was engaged in the person of a young American shipwright, of the name of Bigelow, who had run from his ship a twelvemonth before, to marry a Spanish girl, and who had become heartily tired of his life in Panama.  He and his wife and child joined the party, engaging to serve the Heatons, for a stipulated sum, for the term of two years.