It is difficult to say whether Kate Ellison, or Reuben Whitney was the most surprised at this unexpected meeting.

The former, indeed, was aware that Reuben had come out to Australia; but that the boy, whose cause she had championed, should now stand before her as the officer, to whose energy and activity she and her sister owed so much, seemed almost incredible.
But the surprise of Reuben was at least equal to that which she felt.

He could scarcely credit the evidence of his senses, at seeing before him the young lady whom he had believed to be thousands of miles away, in England.

As is usual in these cases, the girl was the first to recover from her surprise.
"And it is to you we owe so much!" she said, holding out her hand.
"Mr.Barker spoke of our preserver as Captain Whitney; but somehow it never, for a moment, occurred to me to connect the name with you.
"Is it not extraordinary, Alice ?" she said, turning to her sister.
"The surprise to me is even greater than to you, Miss Ellison," Reuben said.

"Mr.Barker always spoke of Mrs.Donald and her sister, and I had not the least idea that you were in the colony.
My mother wrote to me, a year ago, telling me of the changes which have taken place; but although she said that you had left Tipping, she said nothing about your coming out here." Reuben had, in fact, been much disturbed in his mind, a year previously, by hearing from his mother that Mr.Ellison had died suddenly.