The Babes in the Basket; or, Daph and Her Charge

A devoted household attendant secretly removes two sleeping children from their island home by moonlight and transports them in a basket aboard a passing schooner, initiating a flight aimed at safeguarding them. The narrative follows her practical care and resourceful bargaining with sailors, and traces the children's quiet domestic moments alongside episodes of discovery, misunderstanding, and community involvement. Episodic chapters move between tender caregiving, sudden danger, and the arrival of friends and adversaries, culminating in a disrupted flight and an eventual settlement. Themes include devotion and sacrifice, the vulnerability of childhood, and the limits and duties of informal guardianship.